A Remnant of Lost Time
by TheAnimeFicWriter
Summary: Death and devastation have claimed most of the planet. The Creatures of Grimm have retaken the planet. However, there are a few survivors left and there's only one way to survive. Join our ladies on the quest to discover what it truly means to be human.
1. Prologue

A Remnant of Lost Time

Prologue

**Note: **Here's a new story for you guys. This is going to be an experiment because I'll be writing in a different style than I usually do so try to bear with me. I hope I don't let you guys down and I hope you enjoy.

War. Crisis. What does it take for humans to be pushed to the brink? What does it even mean to be human? I don't even know anymore. That question has been in my head for so long, but has been left unquestioned for even longer.

Hello, my name is Weiss Schnee and I'm a survivor of the Sky Fall. Sky Fall is an unforgettable event that affect the lives of so many people on this Earth. For years, humans have been at war with the Creatures of Grimm, neither one of them ever gaining ground over the other. That was thought to be the norm until one fateful day where all of the major cities in the world were attacked by the Creatures of Grimm. Humanity fought to the last breath, but it wasn't enough. The forces of evil were too much and thus, we were forced to use the only thing that worked every time: Nuclear Weapons. This was soon named Sky Fall.

Nuclear weapons were launched all over the planet, destroying everything in its path… Human and Grimm alike. The casualties on both sides were heavy. Human population dwindled into the hundreds of thousands while the Creatures of Grimm are still on the rise. I'm a lucky survivor of the devastation, but I'm betting you're wondering why.

My family stayed up-to-date on the whole Human vs. Grimm conflict. When word got around that things would come to the worst, we retreated into our Nuclear Bunker, taking in as many people as we could. When the bombs landed, everything shook and I couldn't believe that it was actually happening. There were always rumors that humanity would have to resort to such measures, but I never thought we would actually do it.

Once when Sky Fall was complete, the devastation was too great to look upon. Tears ran down my face as I saw endless fields of bodies covering the ground. Men, women, and children were all dead. It was too painful to witness.

So we moved on. We packed everything we could that was essential to our survival and travelled as fast as we could. Staying in big cities was not recommended so we kept on going. It wasn't until a week later when we finally realized that humanity's efforts were not enough. The Creatures of Grimm began to hunt us down. They managed to kill off most of the survivors we saved, but my family was still safe. It almost seemed like a dream. Unfortunately, we can't all dream forever.

A couple more days went by and my parents started to appear ill. Their strength was drained from their bodies every second they breathed. My sister and I tried to everything we could to save them, but there was nothing we could. They eventually died of causes that are still unknown to me.

Now, it's just me and my sister. We travel light and travel light. Luckily, one thing we managed to save was a radio, just in case some broadcast informs us of the events going on in the world. Very rarely do we ever run into the Creatures of Grimm, but when we do, I try my best to protect my sister at all costs. She's older than me by a couple of months, but is very weak-willed.

On the other hand, I can fend for myself pretty well, but in this situation that we're in, it's too hard to tell. Sometimes, I feel that nothing can stop me and other times, I feel that the world is just too big for me.

One day, we decided to rest for a bit and turned on the radio. We scrolled through the stations until something was working. Luckily, it was a news station. The contents, however, weren't so happy.

"This message goes out to anyone who is walking this Earth. You must stay strong. Humanity is doing everything we can to restore what we have lost. Most importantly, we must survive. Survival is the key. We need all of you with us to get through this horrible time in life. We have accumulated scientists from all over the world to help us figure out what the Creatures of Grimm truly are and how we and stop them. This following message is surprising and may be uncomfortable to certain audiences so please be aware."

"The Creatures of Grimm are mysterious beasts. They are very hard to kill, but if they do die, that's when things get even more interesting. Their bodies can only stay tangible for 30 minutes. After that, they wilt away. We done everything we can to try and preserve them, but nothing works. Also, we discovered something very important to our survival. These creatures irradiate an aura that is too powerful for humans to deflect. If any of you have started to witness your loved ones die of odd symptoms, it's because of this. Humans, alone, are too weak to fend off this activity. Good news is that we've discovered that we are invulnerable to this aura until we are 19 years of age. After that, we are unsure of what'll happen to us or when it'll happen. If we figure anything else out, we will let you know."

"Thank you doctor. Hearing this, I ask that you all stay safe and remain patient. Humanity is doing everything it can. You will not be forgotten. We are here for you so never forget. Live strong and live on."

My sister and I couldn't believe it. What kind enemy is this? It has the ability in indirectly kill us?

We were so frightened that we were unable to leave the apartment we found for a few days. Apparently, the survival limit of assurance was 19 and we were 18. We didn't know what to do. There was nothing we could do. We weren't intelligent enough to figure out a cure or solution to this problem. All we could do was wait for the radio to give us more information about what was happening to this world.

Every day, we would hear news about another reserve camp being attacked and hundreds of lives being lost to our enemy. At first, our goal was head as far as west as we could because our family heard about one region of the world that was not affected by Sky Fall. But now, after hearing about these disasters, we're not sure about committing to that plan. We try to stay under the radar while fending for ourselves which is not an easy task. The problem of finding fresh water and edible food is always a struggle and some days, we go to bed hungry. Most supermarkets have already been ransacked so hunting or getting lucky were the only things that were logical.

Unfortunately, neither of us were outdoor people so hunting wasn't something we could just pick up and try. We had no knowledge of what to do, how to do it, or anything else related to it so we simply wandered around, hoping that there was a store or some abandoned home that still had unclaimed food.

Now, we just crossed the Vale border and have entered Vacuo. Vale has been our home ever since we were kids and leaving it behind was just something we had to do. There was nothing there for us except sadness and loss. Although we were unsure of our goal, we decided to keep heading in the direction of Atlas. Atlas always stood as the foreground for humanity so being there might give us a chance at survival. However, we were constantly thinking about what we heard on the radio and how, supposedly, humans only have 19 year to live with complete reassurance.

What did this mean? What happens after age 19? Do we end up like our parents? Is it something worse than that? Something better? No, it can't be.

By now, I bet you're wondering why I'm writing about all of this, but trust me when I say this: Losing hope is the worst thing a human can do. Writing in this journal helps me keep my sanity and makes it so I never forget about what has happened. If I were to die, hopefully, someone will pass by and pick it up. Hopefully, they will learn about what I've gone through and what I've learned while trying to survive in a world full of death.

End of Prologue


	2. Entry 1

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #88**_

_**November 24, 2016 – I witnessed another tragedy**_

It's Thanksgiving Day, but nothing tells me that it is Thanksgiving. My sister and I have just crossed into Vacuo. Unfortunately, everything looks exactly the same. Baron landscape with dead bodies all over the place. We try to avert our eyes from these horrible sights, but we always manage to see something that ends up ruining the rest of our day.

For Winter (my sister), she saw a dead dog with her puppies. This immediately brought tears to both of us. Something so innocent just had to be caught up in this mess. It didn't do anything wrong and it wasn't asking for any trouble. So why did we have to see this?

For me, I saw what looked to be a mother and her son, embracing each other in each other's arms. Somehow, this was even harder to look out. I guess it's because I witnessed my own parents' death so this was still displeasing to the eye. Now, I'm not comfortable with death in any way, but I can definitely handle it better than my sister. She freaks out over everything she sees while I just close my eyes and turn my head.

In the beginning, seeing dead people everywhere scared me so much, but my father told me to stay calm. Even though there people who were dead, I had to keep in mind that I was still alive. My father was kind of weird. He believed in the idea that the weak have to die in order for the strong to survive. Now, I don't believe in that at all, but I do believe that people live and die for a purpose. Right now, I still don't know why Winter and I are still alive.

_This is the only pessimistic thing I will ever write. I know that's it's not good for my health so I will try to refrain from writing in such a manner._

Now, my sister and I are in this little house that, somehow, has tons of food and water. Here's the luck kicking in. I'm not going to write too much about this because I want to eat my share for the day and then pack up for the trip ahead.

In the end, we packed everything we could, but water was the most important part. Once everything was ready, we moved on. Looking at the day right now, that was definitely the best part. Survival isn't a game, but it's always nice to be rewarded every once in a while.

Now that I'm thinking about it, Winter and I rarely see people on our trip. If we do, they have the same goal as us and it's to get to Atlas. Other times, we see people setting up a camp on the side of the road. Things there are never pretty. People at these camps are so selfish and so rude. The effects of Sky Fall definitely hit them hard to the point where they've become animals, in a sense. For those unlucky times where we get snatched up by some random guys, I can't go into details about that. All I can say is that we escape unharmed. I never know how, but something just wells up inside me to where I can do anything. I kind of wish I had that ability all of the time, then I wouldn't have to worry so much. Sadly, those things aren't possible.

After a couple of hours of walking, night fell on Vacuo and we were forced to find some shelter. Unfortunately, we didn't plan ahead and headed up in a deserted part of the road. There were a couple of buildings here and there, but nothing that looked safe or comfortable. However, we had to get somewhere fast because the Creatures of Grimm are known to be extremely active at night so we decided to head into a gas station.

When we got inside, things were sort of promising. There were blankets and pillows left on the store shelves. Surprisingly, these things weren't taken during the raid for supplies. Winter and I grabbed everything we could and set up camp in the back corner of the store. It was still early so we simply sat down next to each other and had a simple conversation… Our first one in a while.

"How are you feeling Winter?"

"I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm good. We didn't have to deal with anything major today so that makes things better for us."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Hey, how about we listen to the radio?"

"Alright."

"Attention listeners, attention. This message goes out to those of you who are surviving this crisis. Unfortunately, there isn't much good news today. The only thing we can say is that our scientists and doctors have made some progress, but we'll get into that in a little bit. For now, I will inform everyone on some of the things that are going on in the world. First, let's all take second to remember the kingdom of Vale. You will forever remain in our hearts. You were strong and unlike anything else in the world. Another piece of news is that communication with the kingdom of Mistrel has just been lost. As of 19:00 UTC, we have not received any sort of communication from them. With this being said, all we can say is that the worst is upon them. Troops that could be spared have been sent to aid, but that'll take some time. For now, we can only rely on Vacuo and Atlas. Now, I'll turn it over to our head scientist that's leading this project.

"Thank you. This announcement is simply an update of the last one made a few weeks ago. For those of you who are just tuning in, we all discovered that humans have been given a cushion of 19 years to live. After this period of time, the effects of Grimm existence cause our bodies to become weak and wilt away as they do. However, we have recently discovered a breakthrough. We held an experiment and found out that people who can share mutual feelings with each other have the ability to overcome this hurdle. I shall go into further detail about this. First off, this is simply understood as love. On a more scientific standpoint, humans are weak-willed on their own. This is a universal fact. It isn't until we find the person we want to spend the rest of lives with when we truly start to feel strong. The results of our experiment shows that this is true. Right now, finding that person is the most important thing. This can guarantee our survival for that much longer. Thank you for your time."

"Thank you doctor. Well, we finally received some good news. For those of you are wandering this Earth for a place to call home. Atlas is still sending out a signal so that gives us reason to assume that they are holding down the fort. As for what our doctor said, please try to find someone. It's our only hope. Thank you so much for tuning in. live strong and live on."

The station went static. Immediately, Winter and I looked at each other with weird looks. What a weird circumstance? We have to find our true love… That's pretty much what that doctor was saying. The problem was that the population was so low and so scattered that finding that "special" someone would almost be impossible. If it was just someone close to you, Winter and I would be perfectly fine. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

We were just two girls, lost in a deserted world. How are we supposed to find something that can help prolong our own lives? It just doesn't make sense. That's the only thing we can do?

However, the more I started to think about it, the more it seemed to reign true. Lately, Winter and I have started to feel more fatigued than usual. Sometimes, we only travel for about a mile or so. With those circumstances now in play, it does make sense as to why we would need a "spouse," if that's even the correct term for this situation. I tried not to think about it too much. We still had a couple of months so we still had some time.

"Hey Weiss, are you worried?"

"Worried? About what?"

"What that doctor said… Us having to find someone special."

"It seems bizarre to think about, but I think that's the only logical thing to do with what we've been given."

"Do you think we'll find someone?"

"I don't know."

"I wish I could just stay in your arms."

"I know. Me too."

As we were sitting at the back of that gas station, we started to close our eyes when something cracked in the garage area. We immediately went silent. Winter asked me what it was, but I just told her to be quiet. Another crack and I knew that there had to be another person there. I stood up from the ground and slowly walked to the front of the store. Winter, on the other hand was too scared to get up and follow me.

I peeked around the corner, hoping to see someone looking for shelter, but that was just a child's hope. It was a huge Beowulf. I tried to get out of there, but it was too quick. It swiped its arm at me and I went flying out the window, rolling on the ground until I came to a harsh stop against the awning pole.

With what consciousness I had left, I saw another Beowulf appear from the garage and make its way to Winter. I reached out my arm, but it did nothing. I could barely move and the Beowulf from before was inching its way towards me. When it was about a foot in front of me, I heard the scream of my sister. It took me a second to realize what had happened, but there was nothing else it could have been. She was killed.

A tear rolled down my face as I looked up at the Beowulf. Its eyes were bright red and drool was dripping from its mouth. There was nothing I could. I simply sat up and closed my eyes. After that, I didn't really know what happened, but I did hear a loud boom. When I opened my eyes, I saw a huge hole in the Beowulfs head. Another boom went off and I saw the one inside of the store collapse to the ground.

I didn't know what was happening. I was too scared to move. My body was shaking, unable to do anything except whimper in fear. It seemed like days until something happened. As I was cowering in fear, someone knelt down in front of me. Even though I was struggling to keep my eyes, I will never forget what I saw.

It was a girl. She was a rather person with a large sniper. Her hair was short and she somehow smelt of roses. After that, I fainted.

_-Winter, I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I just know that you're in a better place now. There's no need to fear, no need to cry; your life is in the hand of God's now and I know you'll be just fine. I love you and I miss you so much. – Love Weiss_

End of Entry 1

**Ending Note: **I hope this wasn't too weird for you guys. I wanted to try something new and this has been the idea that's been running through my mind for the past few weeks. If you would be so kind, I'd like to hear from you guys about what you think. Thank you so much.


	3. Entry 2

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #89**_

_**November 25, 2016 – My new travel partner**_

So there was a bit of a time gap for me. I guess my fainting was pretty serious. When I woke up, it was already midday into the next day. As my eyes cracked open, I found myself in a dark cave with a red coat over my body. I slowly sat up to this girl sitting right beside me, polishing her sniper. It was strange. She appeared to be all by herself with barely any luggage or supplies. Also, she appeared to be younger than me.

"Hey, you're finally awake. How are you feeling?" She knelt down beside me and pressed her hand against my forehead.

"I guess I'm alright. What happened to me?"

"You were ambushed by Grimm. Luckily, I was around or else you wouldn't be here." This triggered something in me. I jumped onto my feet and looked around with such nervousness. "You alright?"

"My sister. Where's my sister?"

"I'm sorry. She was killed. I tried everything I could, but it was too late. I buried her outside if you want to see her." I did not hesitate. I ran out of the cave and immediately saw her grave right outside the entrance to the cave. I nearly choked at the sight. The sight of a gravestone with my sister's name on it was too much. I fell onto my knees and started to cry. When I looked up, the inscription didn't help at all.

_Live strong and live on._

"Did you write this?"

"I'm sorry. She was already gone before I could get any last words from her."

"No, this is perfect… Thank you." I remained at her gravestone for quite some time. Just the thought of losing her was still too much to bear. After about an hour or so, she tapped me on the shoulder and said that we had to keep moving. I slowly wiped away the tears on my face and decided that it was best to follow her. I didn't know, but I assumed that it was better than waiting for something to happen

As we walked, I was so quiet. I couldn't talk. I couldn't even muster up any thoughts in my head. Everything felt like a blur to me. All I could do was keep walking and stay behind this person who was guiding me. At this point, I felt like a little puppy. I didn't know where I was or what to do. All I could do was follow whoever was leading me.

"So, uh, what's your name?" It took a second before answering her question. I guess I was too far in my hole to realize that she was talking to me.

"Oh, my name is Weiss. Weiss Schnee. What's yours?"

"Ruby Rose. How old are you Weiss?"

"I'm 18. You?"

"I just turned 16. I'm guessing you heard about the news?"

"Oh, you mean the 19 years to live thing? Yeah, I heard about that."

"Aren't you a little worried?"

"I don't know anymore. With my sister dead, it's almost impossible to believe that I can make it through this horrible time." I was looking down the entire time, but all of a sudden, she gripped me by my shoulders which forced me to look up at her.

"You can't think like that. Humans can't afford to give up. This is our world. Don't you want to return to your home after all of this is over?" I started to cry.

"I have no home to go to. All of my family is dead. I'm the only one now. It's so hard to carry on this burden." I lost myself. I let out the tears and fell onto her chest. Luckily, she was there to comfort me. She wrapped her arms around my body and I immediately felt safe; almost as if she was some kind of savior sent down just for me.

"It's alright. Everyone's like that now. All we can do now is survive and hopefully, build a new home."

"How can you be so calm about this? Everyone I've met has been so scared and so to-themselves."

"Fear and grief are two things I believe should not exist in this world. At least, not in a situation like this. It's unfair to humanity and I believe hope and strength can overcome those things."

The way she spoke, her composure; everything about her was so different. As she held me in her arms, I couldn't even detect the slightest hint of weakness. She felt so strong and this was something I envied. Before I lost Winter, I believed I was strong. I believe that I could do anything for her, but after meeting this girl, my thoughts are reversed. I now know that this world is something I don't understand at all.

Once I regained what dignity I had left, we kept on walking. Thankfully, she had the same game plan as I did. She wanted to head to Atlas and only travelled during the day. She explained to me how dangerous the nighttime was and I told her that we avoided danger nearly the entire this disaster occurred. When the sunset, we took shelter in a large supermarket in the middle of a deserted town. From the looks of it, it seemed that nobody was there, but Ruby checked the surroundings just to be sure. She didn't want anything like last night to happen again.

Her search ended quickly and we set up camp in the back of the store. For me, it was almost like déjà vu. I was thinking about how similar things could be, but this time, I definitely much more secure with Ruby with me. However, that sniper of hers is a little scary sometimes.

"Hey Ruby, why do you have that sniper?"

"Why do I have it?"

"Well, I mean… Why do carry around a weapon?"

"Isn't it obvious? To protect myself and anyone else I can."

"I thought all weapons and stuff were removed humanity's possession."

"Yeah, about that, my dad was a little superstitious and thought something like this would happen. Unfortunately, he died before Sky Fall so he was unable to see his prediction come true. Anyway, he was a Huntsmen so he had an assortment of weapons in his possession. He always told me that weapons are to protect, not to attack. That's why I carry it. I'm not looking for trouble, and I know you're not either."

"But how can you be so calm about all of this. Doesn't any of this affect you?"

"Haha." She chuckled softly to herself. I looked at Ruby and she suddenly looked down. "You don't think this disaster has affected me in anyway. I've lost more than anything. My father died trying to stop the Creatures of Grimm from escalating. My mother died from overexposure to Grimm. I was separated from my sister during the reorganization." She then looked at me with a look that I've only seen once from her ever since I met her. "This disaster has affected me too much. I choose to not let it show. However, I carry the burden of my family in my heart and soul. I also know that my sister is out there somewhere. She's approaching 19 right about now, but I know she'll be alright.

The words she spoke were like knives through my heart. I could feel everything in her voice. Her pain, her own strength; she was so much more than how she appeared on the outside. I couldn't get over how interesting this girl was. The more and more we talked, the more I got to understand who she was and what was her reason for living. On the other hand, I still haven't a good enough reason to live. However, she's slowly starting to motivate me to find a purpose.

"So were you close with your sister?"

"Before all of this, no. When we lost our parents, things changed between us to where we relied on each other."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about your loss." For some reason, this comment caused a tear to fall from my face.

"It's okay. Things like that are expected to happen with all of this craziness happening around us."

"I guess you're right."

"What about you? Are you close with your sister?"

"She's my closest friend. We hung out all of the time and she helped me learn how to shoot. Before all of this, my sister was an understudy for my father so she knows how to hunt Grimm. For me, all she could do was teach me how to shoot since I was too little to actually hunt. When Sky Fall came around, the government reorganized the cities that weren't majorly affected and we ended up being separated. Ever since that day, I haven't her once. I miss her so much."

"I think you'll see her again." Ruby looked at her with a smile. "Not to sound pessimistic, but this world is getting smaller so you're chances are getting better. And if she's a strong girl, she'll found her way back to you."

"Thank you Weiss. That really means a lot."

"Of course." Out of nowhere, she climbed next to me and cuddled up to me.

"If you don't mind, I want some body heat." I was a little nervous at first, but her body fit perfectly with mine. Things got warmer and I felt safer. I couldn't help but smile. "If you wanna fall asleep, go right ahead. I'll keep watch over us."

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. Just go ahead and get some sleep."

"Alright, good night."

"Night."

That was the last thing I remember that day. The warmth of our two bodies next to each other, the sweet scent of another person, and a feeling I've never felt before in my entire life.

It's still a little too early to be thinking this, but she might be that person I'm looking for. I don't want to be too anxious about this because high hopes are worse than unexpected truths. So for now, I'm just going to go through things day by day and see what happens. I mean, she seems like a nice person, but I don't think that theory of finding a significant other applies to same sexes. Whatever, I've thought about this for too long so I think I'll end it here.

My reminder for tomorrow is simply to smile more and believe in myself.

End of Entry 2


	4. Entry 3

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #94**_

_**November 30, 2016 – My first real opposition**_

So I chose not for a couple of reasons. One, nothing really interesting happened with us. Two, I just didn't feel like writing. Believe it or now, writing does take a lot out of me so every now and then, I lay off and wait for something else to happen. To give a little recap, Ruby and I have made quite some distance. We made it through the heart of Vacuo and are on our way to the Forbidden Land. I totally forgot about this part of the journey.

In order to get to Atlas, we have to tread across the Forbidden Land. There, all sorts of dangers and enemies await us. Ruby reassures me that nothing bad will happen to us, but it's still a little hard to believe a 16-year old girl. She says we'll be safe, even though she doesn't even know how terrifying that place. I'm trying not to think about it too much, but the thought of being ripped to shreds or shot by other people sends chills down my spine so I will now drop that thought and think about something else.

Lately, Ruby's been pushing me to learn how to wield a weapon. I told her that since she was with me, I'd be fine, but she's a persistent little girl. I decided to go along with her little plan, but I must warn you, I'm horrible when it comes to things like that.

"Okay Weiss, you ready to learn?"

"Not really. I'm still not on the same boat as you when it comes to weapons."

"You don't have to be. As long as you have a basic concept of it, you'll be fine. Trust me, it's better to know than not know." She reached behind her back and pulled out a huge, silver revolver. However, I didn't know that at the time. She handed me the gun and I was so nervous about it. Just thinking about holding a thing as powerful as a gun was only meant for certain people.

"How do I hold it?"

"Here, I shall show you." She suddenly walked behind me and stuck out her arms towards my hands. Immediately, my face turned bright red. Her warm body was pressing against my back which made it a little difficult to concentrate.

"You ready?"

"Uh huh."

"Alright, when you're not shooting, hold the gun in your hands firmly. However, keep your finger off the trigger at all times. This will prevent accidents in the future." She showed me how to hold the gun and where to put my trigger finger when not in action. Even though the gun was pretty heavy, it felt pretty natural to me, almost as if I've done it before. "When you are firing, it's almost the same concept. You put your finger in the slot and aim down sight. You see that little nub at the point of your gun… That's where you want to hit. Follow that mark and only that mark, and you'll never miss. You wanna try it out?"

"Sure."

"Just be sure to aim straight." I took a deep breath and put up the gun. I saw the nub pointing straight ahead. I slowly pressed my finger against the trigger and the recoil sent me stepping back and into Ruby's arms. "How was that?"

"Um, it was a little scary, to be completely honest."

"Don't worry about it too much. Everyone's a little scared on their very first shot. You actually did pretty well. Most people accidently hit their faces with the back of the gun so you're already doing better." We both smiled and trained a little bit more.

As time went on, the gun slowly started to feel lighter and less intimidating. Ruby, also, managed to distance herself from me whenever I took a shot. I guess this meant that she was starting to trust me with it, even though I didn't sense that trust in myself yet. I was just a girl holding a gun. There wasn't anything else to say about it. The only thing that kept my hand on that gun was Winter. It gave me the idea that I had to protect Ruby now, even though she was the one who was mostly protecting me. I had to be smart and careless as well.

However, things didn't go smoothly for the entire day. After about 5 shots, things started to get a little weird. Ruby and I noticed people starting to swarm us. In the beginning, it was only a couple of people, but once when I was done, there was definitely a crowd closing in on us. Ruby asked me to put the gun away and stand by her. Without a second of hesitation, I stowed away the gun and stood behind Ruby, watching as these mysterious people started to walk towards us.

"Hey there, pretty ladies. What are you two doing out here all by yourselves?"

"We were just on our way out of Vacuo."

"Hm, that's quite a distance away still. How about you join my little troup for the night?" I looked around and saw mostly all guys. For the ones who were girls, they looked horrible. They had sad looks on their faces, almost as if they'd seen death a thousand times over.

"That's a nice offer, but I'll think we'll have to pass on that. We have a deadline to meet."

"Not now, you don't." The crowd started to get closer and closer to us. I couldn't help, but grip Ruby's shoulder as they eyed us down with such menacing looks.

"Come on, guys. We're all on the same side. You don't have to do this. We all want the same thing."

"Haha, that's where you're wrong. This disaster has allowed us men to roam free, picking up anyone and everyone we come across. Right now, you're our next target." It was happening again. Another one of those disgusting groups of desperate savages.

"That's not gonna happen."

"You've got to be kidding. There's like 30 of us and only two of you. How are you possibly gonna escape this?"

"Let's make a wager then. Our freedom versus your prize." I felt Ruby's body and she was so calm. I didn't know if she understood the circumstances of our situation, but it almost felt like she wasn't even human. She was so composed. I couldn't believe it.

"Wow, this is a first. That sounds good. Let's have some fun."

He walked back towards his men and they handed him a sword. At the same time, a loud clanging came from my feet. I looked down and saw a sword lying there. Ruby picked it up, but that's when I lost it. I told her that she didn't have to do this, but she reassured that everything was going to be alright. Even now, it was still hard to believe her. I looked in her eyes and nothing told me that she was bluffing. Her eyes were strong and honest. I had to believe her. That was the only thing I could do. She turned around and walked towards the leader. The fight didn't even start and I felt like I was about to have a heart attack.

They touched swords and began their fight. He immediately swung at Ruby's head and she ducked. He then thrust at her chest, but she knocked his sword out of the way. More swipes at her, but she managed to stay unharmed. However, the thing that bothered me was that h wasn't even paying attention to the fight. His eyes were mostly on me. I don't know why, but it seriously bothered me. I just wanted Ruby to end it already.

Cling after cling, swing after swing; it just seemed that Ruby was toying with him. Also, his concentration finally was averted from me and on the fight. As I continued to watch I noticed that Ruby was very strategic. I didn't know it at the time, but she had everything planned already. The way she moved and where she wanted him was perfectly on point. Finally, when he took another swing at Ruby, that's when she made her move. He swung down at her head which caused her to dodge it in a quick fashion. When his sword made contact with the ground, she came up behind him, pressed her sword against his throat, and her gun against his back.

Everyone was in shock. I was also one of them. It all happened in a flash so it was pretty hard to follow along with what was happening. All that I could think of at that time was that she won and that we could escape peacefully.

Unfortunately, that wasn't true. Everyone armed up and pointed their guns at us as they slowly stepped towards us. I had to run up next to Ruby or else I was done for.

"Everyone back up now!" I looked at Ruby and saw her pressing her sword further into his neck. Apparently, everyone else saw this too which made them clear a way for us. "Come on, let's get out of here." We slowly made our way through the opening in the crowd until we finally distanced ourselves from that group. Right as we did, Ruby swiped her arm to the right and the man fell to the ground. She then grabbed my hand and we ran for it.

"Ruby, why'd you do that?"

"I'm sorry you had to see that, but the only survivors should be the ones who are willing to fight. Those people aren't willing. They're gonna die eventually. I was just making it easier on him." We continued to run. I looked back occasionally, but thankfully, they weren't following us. We ran all the way until we reached the border of Vacuo. As expected, we arrived at the start of the Forbidden Land. That's where we decided to rest for the night.

I know it wasn't true, but we almost felt like fugitives. And to be quite honest, it actually kind of felt good. That sense of danger was pleasing to my heart. However, I knew that we couldn't keep doing stuff like that so I quickly calmed down and settled in for the night.

The more I stay with this girl, the more I realize that she's different. I always forget that she's younger than me because she behaves well beyond her age. She's so calm and so strong, unlike me. I'm still fragile when it comes to this situation and I can only be ever grateful that she took me in so willingly. I still haven't said thanked her enough for what she's done for me. I'll probably do that tomorrow. We've gone through a lot today and it'll only get more intense when we enter the Forbidden Land.

A new piece of advice is this: Be smart and don't die.

End of Entry 3


	5. Entry 4

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #95**_

_**December 1, 2016 – Into unknown territory**_

So Ruby and I immediately made our way into the Forbidden Land. Thankfully, we didn't meet any opposition during our entrance, but she said that we had to be quiet. Even the slightest noise will draw attention to us. I didn't want to piss her off or anything so I hoisted the gun away and walked silently behind her, watching her every move and copying them to the letter.

When he approached a pretty big hill, Ruby decided that it was best to get a vantage point so we made our way up to the top where she we set up shop for a while. She took out her sniper and scanned the area. All I did was make sure nothing bad was coming from behind us. She didn't really say much as she did this. It was mostly a few sighs, some grunts, but nothing too obvious. The direction we were headed was pretty congested. She had me look through the scope and I saw fields of Grimm wandering the wastelands.

Our original plan was to get through the Forbidden Land in a week's time, but with this much business, she said that we had to go around. Conserving our ammo and strength we had was more important than pushing through to get somewhere safe. There was really no point in arguing with her so I simply went along with the plan.

Most the Forbidden Land was valley, but on the outer rims was a mountain range, making it a death trap for anyone caught inside of it. As we walked, Ruby talked a lot about Grimm and what damage they could actually do. She said that they were incredible creatures that humanity just doesn't understand. This was kind of where I jumped off the Ruby train. What she talked about seemed like complete garbage, but the way she said it made it seem completely different. I, on the other hand, was disgusted by their existence. They didn't offer anything to this world except loss and grief. They cost me my sister's life.

Now that I think about it, today is her birthday. She would have turned 19. A very troubling year for anyone in this world.

Ruby had nothing to worry about. She still had lots of time. And with the way she was, there wasn't going to be anything that would kill her. Now, it comes to me. It's always so hard to talk about myself because I can never come up with something good or cheerful. And honestly, I rather tell myself the truth than try to butter myself up with lies.

I'm still approaching 19. Give it another month and I might die from this horrible affect that the Grimms produce. It's just stupid. Why? Why can't they just go away? Why can't we just live in peace? Why can't my sister be with me?

…

I'm sorry. I was ranting a little too much. I need to restrain myself. The better I do this, the better chance I have at staying alive.

Moving on, Ruby and I traversed the treacherous mountain trail. It was long and very tiring. The whole thing about conserving our strength was hard to do since this wasn't any easier than dealing with things that were trying to kill us. However, Ruby was smart enough to pace us. We stopped every so often just to make sure that the Grimm weren't up to any strange activities. They liked to stay in the valley so as long as we didn't cause a ruckus, we'd be fine.

With all this time in silence and surveillance, I've started to notice a decrease in energy as a whole. It wasn't that we were doing too much in a certain amount of time, it was just that I didn't have as much as I did before. I'm keeping this from Ruby because I don't want to worry her, but I think I'm starting to feel the effects of "Grimm Decay" (That's what I'm calling it so it'll be easier on me).

The even stranger thing is that it's not my body. It's my mind. My mind is telling me that I don't have any energy, but I'm doing everything I can to muster up what strength I can. Hiding this from Ruby is definitely my number one priority. She can worry about protecting us since she's good at that. I just have to remain on my feet until I can find my partner.

Gosh… I still can't stop laughing at that idea. It's not that I find it stupid. It's more along the lines of impossible. People are so spread out and I have to find **one** person among them. It's just hard to find the hope in that situation. I know I talk about maintaining my head and all, but I'm also trying to be realistic. Every guy I meet, he either wants me, wants me or wants nothing to do with me. Thanks scientists, you guys are the best. Keep working hard so that you can find the answers to this horrible disaster that we're in.

Anyway, as the day grew old, the moon rose over the land. That was when we were forced to call it a day. Night was when Grimm were most active, but we had to get a head start in the Forbidden Land. Like always, Ruby said that she would keep watch over us. The more she said this, the more I felt guilty about leaving her alone at night so I decided to stay awake as long as I could and have a nice, quiet conversation with her.

"Ruby, are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just that I haven't actually seen you sleep for a long time and it's worrying me."

"There's nothing to worry about Weiss. I sleep when I deem it necessary." I couldn't help but give her a weird look. When she deems it necessary? What does that even mean?

"Look, I know you don't trust me a lot yet, but if you want, you can rest and I'll watch over everything."

"It's fine Weiss. I like being on watch. It makes me feel like I'm doing something useful."

And there it was, the reason this girl stands out to me. She wants to feel useful. This was an idea that very few people believe in. I'll be honest here. I didn't think like this before Sky Fall and I'm barely thinking like this now. But this girl, wow. It constantly shocks me of how her brain works and what she thinks about because it's definitely not about Grimm and trying to survive. Those are my thoughts. Anyway, back to the conversation we were having.

"You are useful, to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're helping me stay alive. Isn't that use enough?"

"I appreciate that comment Weiss, but it's more than that. If I lose you too, I'll feel that I won't be able to do anymore in this world when there's so much left to do. I still need to grow up. I want to reunite with my sister. There's a lot left."

"I'm sorry. I was in the wrong."

"No, it's fine. Everybody thinks differently."

"Do you think the way I think is wrong?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"What? I want to know."

"No, I don't think that at all. That's just the sign of someone who carries loss deep in their heart. They think that even the smallest thing can change anything, and I thank you for that. It keeps me motivated."

What was up with that smile? It wasn't fake, but it did not fit the atmosphere of our conversation at all. I soon realized that the more I talked with her, the more my brain was boggled. I tried to stay awake for as long as possible, but that wasn't very long. I quickly knocked out and had some interesting dreams that I don't really feel like sharing right now.

End of Entry 4


	6. Diary 1

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Diary #1**_

So I'm writing this because there are certain things I don't want people to know. This is more of like a keepsake, just in case someone does end up obtaining my journal entries. Since we don't spend a lot of time resting, I don't really get to write in this one as often as I would like, but I always manage to find some time for it. Anyway, I need to write down all of this stuff that's been going on or else I'm going to lose my mind.

First off, what is up with this shit about Grimm? They irradiate something that manages to kill us indirectly. I just don't see how that's possible, but then again, I'm not the "sciencey" type so I shouldn't really be able to.

Another thing that kind of drives me nuts is this whole partner thing. The only normal way of surviving this shit hole is finding a partner who we are compatible with. What kind of "cure" is that? I don't care how scientific things get, that is not science. That's verging on fairy tale shit right there. This world doesn't need anything more fake. We need facts, support, and an ending to this horrible situation. Unfortunately, I just don't see anything like that coming up in the near future.

Unlike my journal entries, I can be a little bit more pessimistic. With this one, I can say anything I want and know that it won't hurt me. I know I'm telling the truth and all I'm really doing is venting. Venting is healthy so I might as well do it and not hold it in.

Sometimes, it feels that I'm repeating myself. Sometimes, I don't even know myself, but that doesn't matter. I'm still alive and I believe I'm pretty sane so there's nothing to worry about.

I'm don't really want to talk about my sister because I know that it'll only make things harder on me. I'm just glad that her death was swift. It didn't seem like she suffered or anything so that was a good sign. Other than that, there are really no words for her end. All I can say is that I love you sis and I hope you're doing fine wherever you are. However, I know for a fact that you're doing better than me right now. You lucky piece of crap. I'm actually really jealous of you right now.

Alright, I can't talk about this anymore. I'm moving onto to something else.

So I don't know when this happened, but I've been imagining strange images of Ruby. Most of the times, it's when I sleep, but these images are so weird. I'm always in her arms and she looking down at me with a smile on her face. I could feel her warmth on my body and the safety that she offers. I don't know why this is happening. I mean, we're just travel partners. It's not like I like her or anything.

Wait, do I?

Normal people don't think like this about some person who doesn't really matter to them. So why am I thinking like this? Is it actually true?

To be completely honest, I think it is though. My energy supply hasn't been depleted like it used to. I don't know if that's the universal sign, but it's definitely something. And plus, I can't think like that because let's be honest. How lucky could I be to have my "special" someone appear before and sweep my off my feet. I've never been much of an enthusiast so this possibility strikes me as nearly impossible. However, I'll still keep my mind open to it.

If this girl is the one, I really don't know how lucky I am.

End of Diary 1

**Ending Note:** Sorry about the short update. I was busy this week and didn't have a lot of time to write. About these diaries, I'll write a few every now and then to kind of stray away from the main plot of the story, but they'll be pretty rare. Normal entries will return on the next update day. Thank you for reading.


	7. Entry 5

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #97**_

_**December 3, 2016 – We discovered something interesting**_

**Note:** I hope you're all enjoying this story and I'm sorry if this is really different from my past stories. I wanted to try something new and this was the thing that has been on my mind for a while. I'm trying my best to make it seem like me, but this style makes it a little difficult. Putting that aside, please enjoy this update.

A few more days went by and now, Ruby and I are approaching the heart of the Forbidden Land. Here is where things start to go bump. We noticed that more and more Grimm are starting to occupy the land and more and more weird ones show up all of the time. It's hard to keep up with what's going on since Ruby so on top of everything. I do my best, but I always end up slowing us down a bit. Thankfully, Ruby is very forgiving. She knows that I'm trying and I know that I can try my best with her and no that failure isn't much of a penalty.

I still have to make sure I don't die. That's the one failure that I can't afford to use. Other than that, things are going pretty well.

The outer path seems to get longer though. I try not to look up because it makes things seem longer, but there's nothing to look at. I don't want to look at the Grimm because they're very distasteful to my eyes. I don't want to look at Ruby or else it may seem like I'm some kind of stalker when I'm obviously not. That only leaves me with looking straight ahead. Whenever I do this, I get to see how much we have yet to traverse and it gives me sores in my feet.

I know there's only so much that we can do, but seriously, we work a lot. I'm not too sure, but I think we travel about 12 miles a day. It may not seem like a lot, but with this landscape, it's definitely a challenge. Complaining is something I have to avoid. Ruby never complains so I don't get any special treatment.

I've also noticed that Ruby is being way more observant than before. She stops more and spends more time examining the beasts below us. I can't help but notice her concentration face. She seems so calm and so brave. I just can't get over how well she acts in this situation. We are literally so close to encountering Grimm yet she acts as if there's no danger at all. I wish I could learn this from her, but I'm pretty sure that that is impossible.

Something I'm sad about is that our conversations have become almost non-existent. We occasionally share a few words, but not something that requires a lot of attention. I always wanted to talk with her because everything she talked about interested me. Now, I'm forced to watch her from the sidelines, completely cut off from her huge brain. Or at least I think it's huge… bigger than mine.

Something I don't really talk a lot about, but is still present is Ruby's gun. For some reason, it constantly remains in the back of my mind. And what's worse: the weight on my belt is even heavier. I don't know why, but it makes harder to get through some of these times. It seems weird when you really think about. People would usually think that a gun would make them feel safer, but not me. I'm glad I know how to use one, but constantly carrying it around like I'm going to war just doesn't fit well with me. I know why Ruby gave it to me and I'm thankful, but sometimes, I ask myself why I even have it. If anyone does the shooting, it's Ruby. Her sniper is more than enough for both of us. I just want to rid myself of this huge burden.

It may seem like I'm exaggerating, but I think the ideals of chaos and disaster are kicking in. it may seem a little different from what normal people think, but's definitely there. I think about the importance of this gun and why I have it. There's always a few positives, but mostly, I can only think of negatives. Even if they are creatures without a soul or whatever, I don't know if I have the right to take their life if that moment comes down to it.

Killing something, I don't care what it is, just doesn't seem right. I know that Grimm are the enemies of humanity and I know that they've taken things away from me, but ugh, never mind. I'm confused myself. It's just best to leave this topic alone and pick it up another day. Enough is going on right now for me to be stuck to my journal entries. But I will end it with this piece of honesty.

I long to avenge what I've lost, but there's got to be a better way than what humanity thinks is the best way. We suffered enough from Sky Fall. I don't want this to go on like the way it is.

…

While we were resting for the night, Ruby and I started to hear some weird noises. Unfortunately, I knew how the drill worked so I grabbed my things and followed Ruby to check out what was making those sounds. From where we were, it sounded like gunshots and loud metal noises. This was wonder what was going on. If people were smart, they'd try to avoid fighting, especially in this area, but apparently, this wasn't their mentality at all.

We finally approached a nice viewing area. Ruby took out her sniper and set up shop. On the other hand, I took my place as watch and waited for something to happen. Even though I wasn't looking at the scene, I could get a good sense of what was happening. People were definitely fighting. There was no doubt about it, but the question was why. I occasionally checked with Ruby, but she didn't even know what was going on or why it was happening.

Every so often, I would turn my head to see if I could find out what was happening, but I was no use. They were too far away for my eyes to see anything. However, I did some smoke, gunfire, and maybe a few people in the fray. This was where I couldn't stay quiet anymore. I finally opened my mouth to strike up a conversation with Ruby and this conversation was definitely something that I could never forget.

"Do you see anything going on?"

"It's hard to tell, but there are definitely people down there fighting."

"This may be a stupid question, but are you thinking about going down and fighting with them?"

"That's not a stupid question. Personally, if they need the help, I'll try my best, but up close and personal help, probably not." She was glued to her sniper. She constantly adjusted her view and the way she laid on the ground to make sure that everything was perfect, just in case she needed to intervene.

"Why do you think there are people out here fighting the Grimm? Isn't kind of weird to think about?"

"Yeah it is. This place is by far the worst place one could do it and from what I'm seeing, there are only two people fighting."

"What?!" She quickly glared at me. "Oh sorry. What are you talking about," I whispered as I scooted closer to Ruby.

"Yeah, there are definitely two people fighting."

"Are they stupid or something?"

"Haha, I don't know, but it doesn't look like they need our help. They're totally annihilating those Grimm."

"Well, that's good. I guess it's better than the other way around." Ruby looked at me in question. That look she gave me made me confused. "You think so strangely."

"What? Is that a bad thing?"

"No, I didn't say that. Strange is good. You can think of it as unique."

"Alright, anyway, can I have a look?"

"Sure, maybe your eyes can get a better sense of what is going on."

"Haha, I doubt that, but I'll give it a try." I lied down behind the sniper and looked through the scope. "Hm, nothing seems to be too eye poppy for me. Sorry if that seemed a little stupid."

"No, it's all good."

"Hey, uh, I think those are girls fighting."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm just guessing, but one appears to have black hair and the other one's blond."

"Move!" Out of nowhere, I remember Ruby bumping me out of the way to get a look at what I discovered. This was the first time ever seeing Ruby act like this, and I have to say that it was interesting. I remember her focusing her eyes through the scope, trying to make out who those two people were. After a few minutes, she finally spoke up. "Oh my God."

"What?"

"That's Yang. That's my sister." She immediately grabbed her things and ran down the mountain. At this point, I couldn't believe what was happening. However, I knew that I could stay there by myself so I grabbed my things and followed her as fast as I could. The only thing I remember after that is Ruby calling yelling Yang over and over again. If this was her sister, she was definitely the luckiest person in the world. My jealousy of her just went up tenfold.

End of Entry 5


	8. Entry 6

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #94**_

_**December 4, 2016 – My memories are a little scattered**_

**Note:** Here's an early update. I'll be busy for the rest of the day so I decided to give it to you guys now instead of make you wait without warning. Anyway, I hope you're all enjoying this story.

Ruby ran towards who she thought was her sister and I had to follow her. It was going to stay up there and possibly get killed. So I packed my things and followed her as fast as I could. There was definitely something going on through her head because I've never seen a person run so fast. It was almost like something was possessing her to run the way she did.

Anyway, as I continued to follow her, I noticed that some of the stray Grimm involved in the fight were starting to take notice of me and Ruby. At the time, I didn't know what to do. I gripped my gun, but I was still too afraid to take it out and use it. When I looked at Ruby, she was completely disregarding the things around her. The only thing she paid attention to was the person getting closer and closer to.

Once she stopped running, it was obvious that that girl was her sister. She hugged her as tight as she could and the two of them looked happy from my perspective. However, things didn't get any better from there. All I remember is Ruby yelling my name and me collapsing to the ground, completely unaware of what had just happened to me.

It all happened so fast. I saw Ruby reunite with her sister. I saw Grimm overflowing the area and I saw myself hit the ground hard. At that moment, I didn't know what was happening. All I knew was that I was losing strength throughout my entire body. Before everything else turned to a blank, I remember voices calling my name. After that, there's really nothing else that I can recollect.

…

It was wrong of me to think that that was the end because it wasn't. I was able to wake up some time later. As I cracked my eyes open, everything appeared a little hazy to me, but I did hear people talking to each other. I also remember lying on something soft. I found this weird because there's really nothing that's soft out here anymore. However, when my eyes finally opened, I saw Ruby right above me, looking down at me with much concern.

I tried sitting up, but a dull pain in my back kept me lying down on Ruby's lap. I asked what was happening and she said that I was attacked by a Grimm. It didn't seem like she was telling the truth. I don't remember feeling pain or anything like that. I don't even remember seeing any Grimm near me as I chased after Ruby. But apparently, they got me in the back.

Right there, that's where I started to panic. If she was telling the truth, I should have died. The Grimm are deadly creatures that could easily kill someone like me, but immediately, another voice broke through and told me everything. It was Ruby's sister.

She told me that the injury I obtained should have killed me. It slashed me across the back and that's what caused me to collapse. It was all starting to make sense. She said that they tried everything they could, but there was nothing that they could do. There were no treatments to Grimm injuries which caused them to panic. What she told me next was the most shocking part of the entire story. She said that both my chest and Ruby's lit up. According to her, this was the sign that our partners have been discovered. When a partner is found, their hearts react to each other with that bright light she talked about. Knowing this and other things she told me, Ruby transferred some of her life force into me, extinguishing the effects of a Grimm injury. This was done with a kiss.

That's where I fell off the train. I tried to jump out of Ruby's reach, but she grabbed me before I could. She told me that I was safe and that there was nothing to worry about it. I couldn't help but realize what this meant for me. My 19th birthday was about a month away, but with my partner found, I don't have to be so afraid anymore.

"Weiss, I'm so glad you're safe." Ruby suddenly lowered her body and hugged me. I didn't know what to do. All of this news in such a short amount of time was almost too much for me.

"Thank you… Now I know my little sister can survive this disaster without that worry. I am forever in your debt."

"Um, would you happen to be Ruby's sister?"

"Oh sorry. I totally forgot to introduce myself. I'm Yang. I'm Ruby's big sister." She was tall and blond. Oddly enough, I was able to tell that she was Ruby's sister. The way she stood there gave off an illuminating aura that Ruby had. They didn't really look alike, but they were definitely sisters.

"How old are you?"

"I'm 19." I widened my eyes.

"19? Aren't you worried?"

"Nope, because I found my partner." Right as she said that, another girl walked into the room. She was about the same height as Yang. She had long, black hair with another strong aura. The room was just filling up with energy that I couldn't believe.

"Hi, I'm Blake. It's nice to see that you're alive."

"So what were you guys trying to do out there?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know it's not safe to fight Grimm on your own?"

"Haha, don't worry about that. Blake and I can fight. There's nothing to worry about. We can watch over each other."

That comment remained in my head for the entire day. She said that they could watch over each other. More than anything, this comment bothered me. It was bothering because I knew that that didn't apply to me and Ruby. She was always the one protecting me and again. She saved me again from near death. I couldn't help but feel guilty. Here I was laying down on her lap while these other people were so strong. Who was I? The longer I thought about this, the only thing I could think of was that I was just a pest. I know that we are partners now, but it just doesn't feel right to be Ruby's partner when I've already caused her so much trouble.

After I recovered most of my strength, they told me that we were heading out together. At first, I was kind of hesitant about that idea, but then I realized that they all could fight so there was no need to worry. If we did happen to get involved in something messy, they'd be able to handle it. As of right now, we were a little more than halfway through the Forbidden Land so we were going to try to get as far away from the middle as possible. Unfortunately, with the way I was, we didn't move very fast. I tried my best to go at their pace, but my back was still bothering me. I had no idea something like this could have such an effect on me.

As the sun started to set, we decided it was time to find shelter. It took us awhile, but ended up finding a cave that was uninhabited. We set up camp there and Yang decided to keep watch over us. By this time, I was so exhausted that I knocked out right away.

As I was sleeping, I do remember some things. I had "visions" of horrible things. I imagined that I ended up dying from that Grimm attack and seeing the other three girls suffering from the Grimm ambush. It was too harsh to keep remembering. I don't know why I dreamt of such things. I try not to think too pessimistically about all of this, but those visions just came out of nowhere and there was nothing I could do. Over and over, they played in my head until I couldn't take it. I opened my eyes and immediately noticed Ruby sleeping on my lap. I didn't realize it at first since I was the first one asleep. I gently moved her head off of my lap and walked towards the exit of the cave. I reached around to my back, but there was nothing there. I assumed there would be like scars or something, but I couldn't feel anything. It felt almost like a miracle. Then suddenly, a voice broke through the silence which caused me to turn around.

"Can't sleep?" When I turned around, I saw Yang looking at me with Blake against her body.

"Not really."

"Is it about what happened?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, but I can't get over it."

"It's alright. Stuff like that shouldn't be thrown away so lightly. You're handling it well. At least you haven't gone insane."

"Haha, that's true." There was a short pause in our little conversation. It took a second to muster up the courage to ask her some things that have been on my mind a lot lately. "Hey, can I ask you some things?"

"Sure, what's up?"

"How… How did you know Blake was your partner?"

"It pretty happened like what happened with you and Ruby. I was trying to find my sister when I encountered a pack of Grimm. There was nowhere to run so I decided to fight. However, right as I started, someone else jumped into the fray and killed the rest. I didn't know who she was, but all of a sudden, my chest lit up and when she turned around, her chest was lit up as well. Somehow, I just knew that that was a sign."

"You're lucky."

"How? I don't anybody's lucky when it comes to the dealing with the Grimm."

"I mean you can fight. You can protect her and she can protect you. I can't do that for Ruby. I feel so bad. Ever since I met her, she's been doing everything for me. I just feel like a nuisance to her." I dropped my head because speaking my thoughts was too hard. I never realized how much I felt about this. However, her hand touched my shoulder which caused me to look up.

"Don't trouble yourself over something like that."

"But I have to. I don't her to get hurt, but there's nothing I can do."

"Of course there is. You're already doing it." I was confused. I didn't see where her train of thought was going. "You're giving Ruby more of a reason to fight. I know that before she met you, she wanted to find me. And now that she has, she can protect you. You may not like the idea of an unequal relationship, but Ruby does. Being able to protect someone has always been her dream. She never had to worry about me since I could hold my own. I'm not saying that you're weak or anything. Just think about it. It may be good to have someone to lean on in these tough times."

This girl was definitely Ruby's sister. They were so alike that it was almost creepy, but I liked it. Having this much levelheadedness was comforting. I only though Ruby was a little weird because of her age, but having someone like Yang around made me feel better about everything. It's amazing what human companionship can do for us.

I think I can make it through this. I really do.

End of Entry 6


	9. Entry 7

A Remnant of Lost Time

_**Entry #95**_

_**December 5, 2016 – We have to what?**_

**Note:** I apologize about Sunday. My family visited me out of the blue and I didn't want to take any time away from that. I hope you guys can understand. I wanted to update my stories for you, but family comes first. Anyway, here it is and I hope you all enjoy.

We kept on moving. Due to our new members and situation, Yang decided that it was best to truck through the Forbidden Land. This made me worry because that made it more possible for us to encounter danger. However, she kept reassuring me that we'd be fine. None of us have died yet and we weren't going to die soon either. This comment gave me a little sense of relief. It wasn't until Ruby grabbed my hand and smiled at me which finally calmed me down.

During our journey, we didn't really encounter anything big. We occasionally saw Grimm, but we were too careful and too far away to attract any attention to ourselves. I stayed close to Ruby. Knowing what she did for me and how much she cared for me made me want to be by her side even more.

Thankfully, she didn't see this as an annoyance. Apparently, Yang was right. By showing her that I trust her, it put a smile on her face. Even though we haven't really talked much, both of us could sense that we were getting closer to each other. I know it sounds weird, but I definitely think it's true. I'm slowly starting to understand her and she's starting to understand me.

As we went further and further, Yang suddenly came up with the weirdest plan. She said that we should split up to make sure that nothing was coming for us. We were approaching the edge of the Forbidden Land and she wanted our exit to be nice and simple. Yang ended up taking Ruby which paired me up with Blake. At first, I was a little nervous because I knew her the least. If my memory serves me correctly, she's the one I've talked to the least. However, I mustered up the courage to agree with her plan. Before we split up, Yang walked up to Blake and kissed her on the lips. When this happened, both of their bodies lit up slightly and then quickly returned to normal. I said one last goodbye to Ruby before we finally split up.

Right as we started to scout out our area, I had to start a conversation. I wanted to know more about this girl and plus, I didn't want there to be an awkward silence for the time we were together.

"So what was that about?"

"Huh? What are you talking?"

"When we split up, you guys kissed. I don't care about PDA, but it didn't seem like that to me."

"Oh, you know that kissing your partner can give you power right? Ruby did that to save you right?" I nodded my head. "Well, that's what we did. Being apart from our partners puts us at risk. We kissing gives us a small bit of safety."

"Oh, okay. That makes sense."

"I'm not trying to push you or anything, but doing that with Ruby would definitely make you feel better about everything."

Even though it wasn't much of a conversation, I could tell that I liked her. She was much different than Ruby and Yang, but there was definitely something about her that made me interested in her. Also, I don't know why it took me so long to realize this, but she was carrying an interesting weapon. Unlike Ruby, Yang, and me, she carried a kitana. I thought this was weird because close combat was very risky, yet she has the courage to carry on with it.

As I thought about this, I couldn't help but ask her about why she uses a sword instead of a gun. She told me that gun were impractical. She talked about guns don't let people see their enemy for who they are. Being able to get up close and personal with her enemy gives her the opportunity to understand them. I don't know why, but that comment made me think to myself.

Of all things: Why would she want to understand her opponent?

I've met yet another person who I don't really understand. I'm still hoping that one of these days I'll be able to understand the way they think and why they do certain things.

After about a couple of hours, we didn't really see much. We saw a couple of Grimm here and there, but there was nothing to be worried about. Luckily, Blake had a walkie-talkie that she used to contact Yang about where to meet up. We grabbed our things and made our way back to the rendezvous point. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the spot, we saw a huge pack of Grimm. They all looked aggravated. As we looked into the pack, we saw them devouring some piece of meat. Just across the way, we saw Ruby and Yang looking back at us.

We didn't know what to do. Trying to get through something like that was not up for discussion. All of a sudden, Yang radioed in and said that it was best for them to split up and make it out of the Forbidden Land. At first, I didn't think it was right. I wasn't sure if we could do it, but Yang kept reassuring me that it was going to be alright. Then, Ruby grabbed the radio and spoke to me. She said that everything was going to be alright and that Blake was going to protect me. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't come up with the words for the situation so I was only able to tell her to be safe and that I'll see her soon.

After that radio conversation, we split up. Immediately, I felt so vulnerable without Ruby. I know that things are fine since we're already partners, but the idea of being separated with her made me feel like a small child.

Night began to fall, but we couldn't stop. Blake said that it was best to get out of here as fast as possible and reunite with the other two. As we wandered the treacherous landscape, we started to notice that the amounts of Grimm were not decreasing.

It was so weird. We were approaching the edge of the Forbidden Land, yet it was still really occupied. For the rest of the trip, Blake was pretty quiet which made me copy her. I didn't want to run into anything and neither did she so we made it a big deal not to make any sound. And thankfully that planned worked. We reached the edge of the Forbidden Land right as the moon shined right above our heads. We were first, but after a couple of minutes, Ruby and Yang found their way to us.

Honestly, I couldn't restrain myself. I ran to Ruby and hugged her as tight as I could. I knew she would be alright since she was Ruby and she was with Yang, but being able to see her safe and sound put my mind at ease.

Once we reunited, we kept travelling until we found some place to rest for a couple of days. All of that time spent in the Forbidden Land definitely took a toll on our bodies, even though we both had our partners. All of us were able to tell what kind of energy the creatures of Grimm were irradiating, and it wasn't pleasant. It was something that we couldn't describe. The only thing I could truly say was that it was truly evil.

When we finally settled in, everyone quickly fell asleep. Yang made sure that the place was safe so a watchman was unnecessary. Blake slept next to Yang and I couldn't help but notice the way those two act around each other. It's obvious that they're in love or else they couldn't be partners, but they didn't show that. Their bond was so strong that I could even feel it. It didn't compare to what happens when they kiss, but it was definitely strong.

I was starting to get jealous. I didn't know it was possible to love someone that much and share that kind of bond in this time of life. Things were simple anymore, but they made it seem like they were.

As I found a nice place to rest, Ruby came up next to me and cuddled close. Immediately, I could feel her energy reacting mine. It wasn't like Blake and Yang's, but I could feel it. And to be honest, I have my partner by my side. That was all I really needed. I didn't really need to strengthen my bond with her just yet so there was no need to worry about something like that.

Once she finally settled in, she closed her eyes and wished me good night. I couldn't help but smile. I could tell that she was happy and I felt the exact same way. There's been a lot going on the past few days and now, we can simply rest and not have to worry about so many things. I brushed her hair to the side and kissed her on the forehead. When I came back up, I saw her smiling again and wished her good night.

Right now, things don't seem so bad.

End of Entry 7

**Ending Note:** So I've been thinking and I think I'm going to stop with the journal entry style. The story will remain in first-person limited, but I'm just not liking this decision. It's a little difficult to develop flow in these entries so expect a little change in the next update. Anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you're all enjoying it.


	10. Entry 8

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 8

We're So Close

**Note:** Just giving you all a reminder that this chapter starts the change in style for this story. I hope you all enjoy.

Once we made it out of the Forbidden Land, things immediately got a lot calmer. There wasn't a lot to worry about and we didn't encounter anything big so we spent most of our time talking and thinking about what will happen when we finally arrive at Atlas. When I really think about it, I totally forgot that we were heading to Atlas. These past few days simply felt like four friends wandering through perilous lands. But now that we're safer, it doesn't feel as fun as it used to be.

Blake and Yang are as close as ever. I guess that time Yang got to spend with Ruby was enough. She doesn't really talk to Ruby a lot, but I do know that she's still looking out for her whenever she can. Blake's not very out-there, but I can tell that she's caring for Yang. Yang isn't much a gentle, caring type so Blake handles that part of their relationship. Before, whenever we would rest, it would be Blake sleeping next to Yang, but now, it's Yang sleeping next to Blake. I don't know why, but those two are so cute when they're together.

On the other hand, Ruby and I are slowly figuring each other out. Personally, I'm not a compassionate person, but thankfully, Ruby is. It still doesn't seem like she's younger than me. She cares for me and worries about me all of the time even though we're never in danger. I can only be grateful for her. However, I'm also thinking about Yang told me. I'm staying by Ruby's side. I trust her and I'm making sure that that message gets out to her. Being able to see that smile makes everything seem so peaceful. Yang definitely understands her little sister. It's starting to get harder and harder to realize how much these people mean to me. My family's gone, but I'm starting to feel that hole fill up again.

…

As we continued our journey, we started to notice that the days were growing shorter and shorter. We didn't know why, but we assumed that the change of seasons has something to do with it. Days were short and nights were freezing. This forced us to find shelter more often than before. However, we weren't in a rush so this wasn't really a problem for us. As long as we were all safe, nothing else mattered.

We were starting to reach a small town on the outskirts of Atlas so headed into the town's supermarket. Blake and Yang scouted the place and made sure that it was safe. Once that was complete, we set up camp near the back of the store. We lit a fire and crowded around it for the duration of the night.

Personally, the cold didn't really bother so I distanced myself from the fire so the others could get their fair share. However, Ruby crawled up next to me and cuddled into my body.

"Weiss, I'm cold."

"Why don't you sit by the fire?"

"Body heat's more reliable." She dug her face into my chest until her breathing slowly calmed down. I could feel the heat from my body transfer onto hers and then back towards me. "Weiss, did you know you're really warm?" I couldn't help but look at away when she said this. However, when I retracted my eyes from her, I saw Yang looking at me with a dirty look.

"What?"

"Nothing." Yang turned around and pulled the blanket over their bodies.

What is she trying to say? I'm doing everything she asked of me. What more could she possibly want from me?

"Hey Weiss?"

"Yeah?"

"Could… Could we go somewhere private?"

"Why? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you without my sister being here."

"Okay." The both of us stood up and made our way to the storage area of the supermarket. As we made it back there, I was constantly thinking about what could be so important that she needed to talk to me in such an odd circumstance such as this. "So what did you want to talk about?" all of a sudden, Ruby got extremely close to me and looked me straight in the eye.

"Let's make love." My eyes immediately shot wide open.

"What are you talking about?"

"Come on."

"Ruby, do you even know what that means?"

"No. All I know is that my sister talked about it with Blake and that's what made them so strong. Please Weiss. I want to protect you." I looked at her and she was completely sincere. Every intention she had was genuine, but I just couldn't believe it.

"I'm sorry."

"Do you not trust me?"

"It's not that."

"Then what is it? Am I just not strong enough to protect you?"

"No, of course not."

"Then, please… Tell me what I have to do." I gripped her by the shoulders and looked her in the eye.

"Ruby, I trust you with my life, but I don't think it's necessary for us to do something like that."

"So we can't make love?" I couldn't help smile.

"When the time comes, we will. But for now, just know that I love you. I've trusted you for this long so why would I doubt you now after everything we've been through." Ruby dropped her head and a tear rolled down her face. I quickly wiped it away and pulled her into my body. "Isn't my trust in you enough?"

"Yeah, it's just… My sister is so strong. I just want you to always feel safe."

"It's alright. I do feel safe."

I couldn't believe it. This little girl cared so much for me. She didn't even know what "making love" is, yet she was willing to do it for my sake. The amount of debt I owe her is continually growing, and it's something that I'd never be able to repay. It seems a little weird to say this, but being with her makes things even more difficult.

Once we finished our conversation, we returned to the camp where Blake was already sleeping. Yang, on the other hand, was still awake, watching us walk back into the room. She was still giving me that look from before. Right as we laid down on our spot, Ruby feel asleep on my chest.

"So what happened?"

"Nothing happened. Don't think weird things."

"I'm not. I just thought…"

"There's nothing to think about. I'm going to sleep."

"Alright, good night."

The night was very peaceful, except for the fact that I was woken up quite abruptly. Their voices were loud and sharp which caused me to jump up onto my feet. When I finally gained consciousness, I saw a huge hoard of Grimm surrounding the building.

"What the hell? I thought you said this place was clear."

"I did. They just appeared out of nowhere."

"Wait, are you serious?"

"There's no time to talk. We have to get out of here. Ruby, grab Weiss and run for it." Right then and there, Ruby grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the store. Unfortunately, that triggered a response in everything else. Blake, Yang and the hoard of Grimm started to fight.

"Wait, we're leaving them?"

"They'll be fine. We're so close to Atlas so it's best that we get there and wait for them." Ruby ran with such speed and intensity that I knew that this was serious. The only thing bad thing was that that didn't last for long. As she ran, we started to notice black smoke swarming around us until it finally took form into creatures of Grimm.

"She wasn't lying."

"Weiss, you still have your gun?" I reached down to my hip and felt the gun inside the holster.

"Yeah."

"Cover me."

Ruby pulled out her sword and threw right at the Grimm. It dropped to the floor which caused the others to attack. Ruby then pulled out her sniper and shot in all directions, hitting everything that was inching closer towards us. As I watched her defend us, I notice that some of the beasts were breaking through. I took out my gun and aimed as best as I could. I pulled the trigger and loud bang echoed in my ears. Thankfully, I hit it right before it could reach us. I looked back at Ruby who was smiling at me.

We kept on going and it seemed like it was working. However, their numbers weren't decreasing. They kept coming and it got to the point where they made it to us. We were forced to dive out of the way which caused us to get separated, but I tried not to let this affect me. I kept my gun up and continued to fire until everything was dead around me.

After a few rounds, the Grimm around me were finally dead. I looked over to Ruby who was still dealing with them, but it wasn't long until she was finished. She pulled up her sniper and shot 3 Grimm right through the head at the same time. This marked the end of our little struggle. At the same instant, Blake and Yang called out to us and we saw them running back towards us.

"Yang, you made it!"

"Of course I did! Don't make me laugh!" When we put our attention on Blake and Yang, the worst thing possible happened immediately after.

"Aarrgghhhh!" I turned my head to see to see a Grimm biting Ruby's shoulder.

"Ruby!" It lifted her off the ground and tossed her a few feet away from me. "Nnnnoooooo!" I pulled up my gun and shot everything at I had until it finally dropped. Even then, I continued to shoot it until I ran out of ammo. It wasn't until a floodlight blinded me and Blake pulled me away from the Grimm when I finally calmed down a bit.

The wind picked up around us which caused us to cover our eyes. However, I couldn't let this affect me. I ran as fast as I could until I reached Ruby. Yang was already there, trying to do something. This time, our rolls were switched. At first, I thought there would be a lot of blood, but there was none at all. All that was there was black streaks covering her wound.

"Weiss," she said softly, "are you there?" I grabbed her hand and placed it on my cheek.

"Yes, I'm here. It's going to be alright."

"Why do I feel so weak?" I couldn't respond. By the time, I found the words, a group of soldiers pushed us out of the way and carried her to their helicopter. I was right behind them, keeping my eye on Ruby. This was the first time I've ever seen her like this and it was quite scary. However, I knew what I had to do. I just needed to do what she did for me.

We boarded the helicopter and made our way to Atlas.

End of Chapter 8


	11. Entry 9

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 9

This is Atlas?

**Note:** Again, I sincerely apologize about not updating yesterday. I don't want to worry you too much, but I was suddenly hospitalized and couldn't get to my computer. I'm truly sorry so here's the delayed update for you guys. I hope you enjoy and I promise that nothing like this will happen again.

"Ruby! Ruby, stay with me! Come on, you can do it!" Ruby's eyes were growing fainter and fainter, almost as if she was disappearing into another world. "You can't do this. You have to stay awake!"

"Move it!" Out of nowhere, I was shoved out of the way and a couple of their medics started to take over.

"It's no use! She was attacked by Grimm. I'm the only one who can save her!"

"Shut up! We're professionals, little lady. We can handle this." Right then and there, Yang grabbed one of them by the collar and pinned him against the chopper walls.

"No, you shut up! You're only making it worse. She's the only one who can save her so move your asses before you kill someone." Yang tossed him to the other side of the chopper and the other one quickly distanced himself from Ruby. Finally, I crawled back to Ruby and held her by her cheeks.

"Ruby. I know you're still in there. I'm gonna save you. Just like when you saved me." I lowered my body and kissed her on the lips. As expected, a light emerged from our bodies and nearly blinded everyone inside the chopper. After a few seconds, the light finally dissipated and Ruby slowly cracked open her eyes. "Ruby! Ruby, you're okay!" I quickly squeezed her as tight as I could.

"Aahhh."

"Oh my… Ruby, what's wrong?"

"My shoulder." I examined her shoulder and saw that the mark from the Grimm was still there. I couldn't believe. Shouldn't have my planned worked? Why wasn't it working? However, it didn't seem like Ruby's life was in danger. Her face told me that she was fine. It was just that that mark was annoying to look at and constantly remained in my mind.

"Hey look." I turned around and saw Blake pointing outside the chopper. When I looked outwards, I saw that we were above Atlas. The place was huge. The entire city was surrounded by a tall wall and everywhere was crowded with normal people. We made it. I went back over to Ruby and caressed her in my arms.

"Ruby, we made it. We're here."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we're in Atlas."

"Haha, thank God." All of a sudden, Ruby lost consciousness. I tried shaking her to try and get her to come to, but it didn't work. I felt her pulse and noticed that she was fine. I just didn't want her to fall asleep. That fear of not waking up was too much. I tried to wake her up the entire time until the chopper finally arrived at the city hospital. They tried to snatch her away from me, but I told them that I would be the one to carry her in, and that I'd be the one to be by her side.

We landed on top of some building which I could only assume that it was the hospital. Doctors were there to greet us and tend to Ruby's wounds. I had to tell them that she was attacked by a Grimm which changed their whole procedure. They brought a gurney and we wheeled her through the building.

As we wandered the halls, I saw a lot of unpleasant things. People were suffering and dying and in nearly every room and it appeared that it was all from Grimm attacks. As we walked, one of the doctors told me that this was the place for Grimm incursions and that not many people here made it. That comment nearly made me sick to my stomach. Why dedicate this place to that cause when they can't even do anything about it? All of a sudden, a small hand grabbed my wrist. I looked down to see Ruby looking at me.

"Ruby, how are you holding up?"

"I'm… I'm alright. My shoulder still hurts and my eyes aren't quite used to these bright lights." I couldn't help but smile. She was handling this so well without any fear. I guess it was because I was there with her. That made me feel good, even though I wasn't really sure if that was actually the case.

"Alright, you'll be good in no time. Don't you worry."

"Hey Weiss," she said softly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

At that same moment, we finally reached her room. They swung her around to the middle of the room and everyone started to crowd her. I tried my best to keep her within my sights, but they were insisting that my being there was enough. It was hard to tell what they were doing, but I did know that Ruby wasn't enjoying it. She was moaning out in pain and the doctors were starting to panic. Their voices grew wary and their bodies were restless. I waited there for such a long time, but there was nothing I could do. I was forced to watch, unable to be by her side when she needed it the most.

Hours went by, but I refused to leave the room until I received some news about Ruby's condition. Then, they suddenly rolled her out of the room which forced to return to my feet in anger.

"Ruby! Where are you taking her?!" I tried chasing after her, but a couple of doctors held me back.

"It's alright. She's fine. We're just moving her to a more stable room." I looked up at the doctor. "Here, come with me. I'd like to have a word with you." He made his way out of the room and I followed close behind him. Again, we walked through the halls which forced me to witness pain and suffering around every corner.

All I could think about were those people and how unlucky they were. If they just had that someone with them, they'd be totally fine. I turned my head and tried to flush every sound from within that building. It was just getting too much.

We finally made it into his office where he invited me in. I took a seat and he followed right behind me. I looked around his room and was in disgust. All over the walls were pictures of patients in horrible conditions. I quickly bowed my head to keep myself from seeing those images.

"You are Weiss, am I correct?"

"Yes, how did you know that?"

"That patient was really fond of you. The entire time we worked with her, she wouldn't stop talking about you," he said with a smile. I was confused. He seemed so calm and almost cheerful. I didn't know how to respond so I just groaned softly. "Did you know that I've been the head doctor at this hospital ever since Sky Fall was initiated?" I groaned again. "And do you know how many patients I have lost?" I shook my head. "More than these walls could hold." It was too much.

"Excuse me doctor, why are you telling me this?"

"Because… Because Ruby is the first patient I've ever seen in that condition."

"What do you mean?"

"She's injured. That's clear to anyone. It's the fact that her injury isn't causing any physical trauma as of right now. It's almost as if she's not even injured. Would you happen to know why that?"

"Well, have you been informed of the so-called 'prevention' against Grimm?"

"Of course. That's been such a trending topic here in the capital. Why?"

"Well, it works. The first time I figured it out was when I was attacked. I know it won't look like it, but I was attacked by a Grimm on my back." I stood up a lifted my shirt to show him my back. Of course, there was no mark whatsoever, but it still peeked his interest.

"I see. So can you elaborate on this because people in the capital are a little puzzled by this so-called 'prevention' technique?"

"I mean, I guess it's kind of like finding your soulmate. The two of you feed off of each other's life force which makes it possible to live a longer life. Also, it helps people defend against Grimm attacks."

"Really? And is this how you survived that attack you were talking about?"

"Yes. Ruby was able to share her life force with me which gave me the power to survive. If she didn't, I probably would be dead by now." I paused a little bit for the doctor was even thinking about my words. "Are you married, doctor?"

"Yes I am." I suddenly stood back up.

"Then keep your wife as close to you as possible. She means more to you now than you can possible imagine. Thank you for your time." I took my leave and went around to ask for Ruby's whereabouts. Once a nurse gave me her room number, I quickly went on a hunt to find her.

After a few minutes of searching, I finally found her. She was lying down on the bed as peaceful as could be; Blake and Yang were already in there keeping her company. I knocked on the door and everyone turned their heads to see me in the door way.

"Weiss! You made it," they all said with smiles on their faces.

"Hey guys, how's Ruby doing?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking. Blake and my sister don't really seem to care about my own health."

"Come on Ruby. I didn't wanna talk about that since I already know you'd be fine."

"Fine, I'll let you go this time. But you better get me something as a get well present."

"You got it, little sis. Come on Blake, there's bound to be something good here." Yang grabbed Blake's hand and pulled her out of the room. I waved goodbye to them as they finally disappeared from sight. I then pulled up a chair next to Ruby's bed and felt her cheek.

"Are you really okay?"

"Eh, it's not terrible. My shoulder still hurts, but I can bear through it."

"Would you mind if I look?" Ruby nodded her head. I reached over to her right shoulder and pulled down her hospital gown. Immediately, I couldn't look. Those black streaks were still sprawled out on her shoulder. There were slight bite marks, but most of them were gone. Also, I noticed that the black streaks were getting longer. Everywhere else on her body was perfectly fine. I slid the gown back over her shoulder and took a deep breath.

Even though she wasn't suffering, it reminded me of what I saw as we first made our way through the building. People were crying and screaming, every single one of them going down the same path. Why wasn't Ruby like that? I mean, it's not like I want her to be in pain. I just want her to back to normal. That shoulder isn't normal. Why isn't she back to normal? My kiss should have worked. All of a sudden, she pressed her hand against my cheek which caused me to look up at her.

"Weiss, there's no need to worry. I'll be fine." She smiled at me and I did my best to smile back at her. No matter what, she always managed to get me to smile at her. But then, out of nowhere, the most unexpected thing happened. "Aaahhhhhhh!"

"Ruby? Ruby, what's wrong?" Her body to squirm uncontrollably as her eyes were closed as she was gripping the sheets. "Ruby, stay with me. I'm here. It's alright." I wrapped my arms around her body, but her panicking wouldn't stop.

"Aaaaahhhhhhhh!" suddenly, a tear rolled down my face.

What is happening?!

End of Entry 9


	12. Entry 10

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 10

A Lover's Bond

"Ruby? What's wrong?!"

"My shoulder! It hurts so much!" I pulled down her gown and saw the black streaks elongating down to her torso. "Please make it stop!" I was starting to panic, but then I suddenly snapped out of it. This wasn't the time to be doing something like that. Ruby needed me and I was going to be there for her. I walked over to the door and locked it. "Weiss, what are you doing?"

"The doctors here can't help you so I don't want them in the way. I'll save you Ruby." I then ran back to her bed and straddled her body. "Maybe if I put some pressure on it." I pressed my hand against her shoulder, but immediately had to pull away. Somehow, her injury was burning to the touch.

"That won't work. A Grimm attacked me, remember?"

"I know," said softly to myself. I didn't want to have to resort to this, but I had no other choice. I held Ruby's cheeks and kissed her on the lips. The light emerged from our bodies, but for some reason, it didn't feel like the past times we did it. I said back up and the streaks weren't stopping. Now, they were stretching down to her hips and onto her neck.

"Aaahhhhhh! Weiss, please!"

"I know, I know. I'm trying." I had to quickly think. I didn't have a lot of time and neither did Ruby. She was suffering and I didn't want this to last for a long time. I fumbled through my brain to come up with something, but nothing popped out at me. What can I do? I need to do something, and fast.

"Weiss, we have to do it."

"What are you talking about?!"

"Love. We need to make love now. That's the only way for our bond to strong enough."

"Are you kidding me? You're in pain right now. We can't do something like that."

"Weiss, please. Aaahhhhhh!" The black streaks emerged on her cheek and onto her thigh. We were running out of time. Now, her body was jerking like crazy. Everywhere the black streaks touched felt like lava to me. How can this be happening?

I jumped off of her bed and ran into the bathroom where I dipped a towel in freezing cold water. I then ran back towards her and pressed the towel against her shoulder. Unfortunately, it didn't work. The towel immediately turning burning hot and I was forced to throw it to the other side of the room.

"Aaaahhhhhh! Weiss, it hurts so much!"

"I know, Ruby. I'm trying. Just stay with me." All of a sudden, loud bang came from the door.

"Ruby? Ruby, are you okay? Let me in. It's Yang." I turned my head and immediately grew nervous. I didn't want anyone to see her like this and especially not Yang. I was my job to protect her and I wasn't going to let anyone interfere with us.

"Weiss? If you're in there, open up. The doctors are here to help." I didn't respond. Just hearing the word "doctor" put a nasty taste in my mouth.

"Open up! We're here to help." Time was short. I continued to rummage through my mind for something, but still, nothing wanted to present itself. Right below me, Ruby was crying and screaming, wishing things would be over. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't give up on her now, but what was there left to do. With the way things were heading, she was going to die, and I knew for a fact that the doctors were going to do anything about it.

"Weiss, this isn't funny! Open the door right now. That's my sister in there!" Boom! A loud thud came from the door which only meant that they were going to force their way into the room. I kissed Ruby again, but nothing happened. Boom! Another thud came from the door. I pressed my hands against her shoulder until the burning sensation was too much. Crack! The door was about to give. I was out of time and options.

"Weiss, just let me… Aaahhhhhhh!" Crash! Yang busted down the door and everyone was completely in shock.

I did the only thing I could think of. I bit Ruby's shoulder as hard as I could, causing her to scream out in pain. As she did, I could suddenly feel her pain travel through my body. I saw the black streaks get shorter as they made their way onto my body. I couldn't stop. I was already too far to stop now. I bit harder and Ruby screamed even louder. I maintained my grip until I could feel Ruby ease up a bit. When that happened, I let go of her shoulder and sat up.

"Aaaahhhhhhhhhh!" We screamed at the top of our lungs as the black streaks started to consume both of our bodies. From across the room, everyone was watching and completely in shock. They didn't know what to do.

"Doctors, don't just stand there. Help them!" Meanwhile, Ruby and I were still struggling. The pain was all over our bodies as I started to lose vision in my eyes. The last thing I remember was Ruby grabbing my hand. After that, my memory is complete mush. I'm not even sure if those were the right events that took place that day.

…

Why does my body feel so weak? Where am I? Am I dead?

I slowly cracked open my eyes and I bright light was shining down on my face. I squinted for it was so blinding. After a few seconds, my eyes finally adjusted and I saw Ruby sleeping right next to me. Or at least, I thought she was sleeping. She was breathing and had a peaceful look on her face. I then turned my head to see some weird looking guy staring right at me.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Oh right. Forgive me for staring. It's just that I've never seen anything quite like it before."

"What are you talking about?"

"That spectacular show you put on for us a few days ago." A few days? I've been out that long? I looked down and saw that Ruby's shoulder was completely normal. Normal skin pigments with no sign of Grimm origins whatsoever. I took a sigh of relief and leaned back against the bed. "Forgive me. I'm so rude. My name is Bartholomew Oobleck and I head the research on Grimm. I'm here today because I received information of someone surviving an attack from a Grimm. And when I show up, you give me something that I'll never forget." I was so confused.

"I'm sorry. I don't really know what you're talking about."

"It completely understandable. Not many people realized what you did, but I do. All my research has finally paid off. You two are the living proof that we can survive this epidemic against the Grimm."

"Please, can you just slow down? Tell me what you're talking about."

"Of course. If you didn't, I broadcast about every month about…"

"Yes, I know. Can you move onto the subject at hand?"

"Right, haha. Anyway, I found out that humans have the ability to combat the side effects of Grimm existence by finding their 'partner.' The lab experiments were iffy, but I discovered this more through experiences with my own wife. However, what you did was unlike anything on the planet. I received information that your partner had direct contact with a Grimm and nearly paid the price for it. From what I examined, you shared the burden by taking the Grimm disease into your own body. When you did, its power was cut in half, giving the power to defeat the disease. Once you two overcame it, the Grimm disease faded from your bodies and you both fell unconsciousness." My eyes shot wide open.

"Wow… You're serious?"

"100%, without a doubt, being serious," he said with a smile. I looked down at Ruby and snuggled with her. Somehow, my plan worked. I totally didn't think that it would actually work. At the time, I was thinking that if she died, it would be on my hands or we had to die together. I didn't think we'd live together. "It was nice to meet you. I don't want to swamp you since you just woke up, but I would like to get more in depth with you and your partner on a later date."

"Of course."

"Alright. Thank you for your time." He stood up and opened up the newly-made door. Apparently, we were out so long that they replaced the door. I took a sigh of relief and kissed Ruby on the forehead.

"I'm so glad you're safe." All of a sudden, Ruby's eyes opened slowly and I was able to see her eyes once again. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright. What happened?" I laughed to myself.

"I'll tell you later." A soft knock came from the door and I looked up to see Blake and Yang standing there with a vase full of flowers.

"Hey, you two. May we come in?"

"Of course." They walked in nervously and I immediately took notice of their behavior. "What's wrong?"

"Weiss, I just wanted to apologize for what happened a couple of days ago."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was banging on the door, trying to get in. I didn't know you were trying to do something to help Ruby. If I knew, I wouldn't have rushed you like that." Yang dropped her head, but I placed my hand on her shoulder which made her look back up at me.

"It's alright. If you didn't do that, I probably wouldn't have resorted to such methods."

"Well, it worked so I don't care anymore. But, what did you do?" I knew what I did, but I didn't want to tell her just yet. It wasn't that I didn't trust her. I just wanted to wait until it was the right time.

"I don't know, actually. Something just came over me and then I experienced the same pain as Ruby. I don't really remember anything else."

"Yang, we're just glad that you two are alright, right?" Blake gave Yang a dirty look which caused her to agree with her. "It appears that we should learn from these two Yang for we have a lot left to learn."

"Haha, you're definitely right. If Blake was in the position, I don't think I would have been smart enough to figure out a solution."

"Oh, come on. Don't be so hard on yourself. When the situation happens, I'm sure you'd figure out a way. After all, you're her partner." Yang wrapped her arm around Blake's waist and smiled. "I am. And now, Weiss is my inspiration." I immediately blushed. Someone as strong as Yang was inspired by me. It almost didn't seem real. However, I decided to go with it. If she wanted an inspiration, I would be it just for her, but it also made me think of something to.

I have the power to save Ruby and this is what I've been wanting all of this time. I've lost too many loved ones, and I'm not losing another one.

End of Entry 10


	13. Entry 11

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 11

So What Now?

Ruby and I were kept in bed for a couple of more days. Surprisingly, that thing that we went through took a lot out of us. I didn't know it would have these kind of results, but honestly, it didn't matter. We were alive and that's all that mattered. Even though we were in bed for only a couple of days, everything felt so long for us. We got to eat, sleep, and do other simple things as much as we wanted, but it just felt wrong. Thankfully, Blake and Yang always visited us so we were never truly bored.

Actually, when I think about it, it almost felt like we were being treated too nicely. Like, we didn't even need to lift a finger or anything. Whenever we wanted something, somehow, it would appear in our room in the blink of an eye. That part really made me a little nervous. Being waited like this was not a dream come true, especially when I was in this state.

Another thing that was strange was that that doctor who spoke with me right after I woke up was not seen again during our resting period. I only assumed that he respected the situation I was in and didn't want to bother us. To be honest, I kind of wanted to talk to him again. I don't know why, but he was much different than most of the people who were inside the capital. Unfortunately, my view is very limited since I've only ever spent time inside this hospital, but when the time comes, I'm never coming back here again.

Finally, the morning came around to where we were released from their care. Ruby and I jumped out of bed and immediately felt refreshed. Being a couch potato isn't healthy in anyway, but what we did really worked. Our energy and strength had returned and Ruby was ready to get back out in the world. Blake and Yang intercepted us before we could leave and said that we were going to spend the day together. Right as we attempted to leave, Dr. Oobleck approached all of us.

"Good morning ladies, it's nice to see everyone up and healthy."

"I know. I was getting sick and tired of that bed."

"Right. Um, if you don't mind, I would like to have a word with you ladies." All of a sudden, the other three looked at each other with weird looks. I didn't know what was going. The only thing I could sense was that things were getting awkward.

"About that, would you mind if we did that another time? Weiss and my sister have been locked up in here for too long and I wanted them to see the capital. I hope you can understand."

"Oh, of course. Please. Get some fresh air and enjoy the glamour of the capital."

"Thank you, doctor. I promise we'll be back soon." We bid him farewell and left the hospital.

Once we took our first step out of the hospital, everything changed. The air, the atmosphere; everything was unlike anything I've ever felt. I looked around and saw people roaming the streets without a care in the world. Blake and Yang weren't too thrilled since they've had the time to explore, but Ruby and I were like little kids. The capital was incredible. The buildings stretched to the skies, planes flew overhead, and everything felt so different. This feeling I had in my chest was something I couldn't feel when we were outside of these walls.

Blake and Yang then led us through the streets where we were in awe. Endless waves of people weaving through endless waves of more people. Again, this was unlike anything from outside of the walls. Everywhere we looked, there were stores, restaurants, and other things that I nearly forgot actually existed.

Through all of this excitement, my stomach grumbled and everyone started to laugh. Apparently, it was time for us to eat so they took somewhere they ate during our days in the hospital. I didn't care what we ate. Anything was better than hospital food, especially when you eat it for like 3 days without end.

Once we finished eating, they took us to some of the sightseeing places the city offered. This was when I started to lose interest. All of the things were fake and I knew. Usually, sightseeing places are natural and something that people could never forget. Everything we saw was stupid. Most of the things were murals about Sky Fall and mementos to lives lost. I didn't really understand why the people of this city thought this was a sight to see. If they wanted to see something, they should look just over the wall, and that's when it hit me.

No one in here knows what's happening outside in the real world. All of our time spent here, I haven't heard anything about Grimm aside from the hospital discussions. It almost seems like they're trying to avoid the subject, even though it's something that's extremely important to humanity's existence. Once I put my finger on this, I couldn't enjoy the rest of my day. Whenever I thought about something, it eventually turned pessimistic which caused me to get all grumpy. For some reason, being here wasn't what I expected at all. I expected to see people fighting to survive. People laying down their lives for the good of humanity, but no. Things are quite the opposite.

We ended up going to a couple of other places which I didn't really pay much attention to. Ruby started to notice my strange behavior and asked if I was okay. I didn't want to worry her so I had to lie. That was definitely the hardest thing I had to do. We just got out of the hospital so I didn't want to make things seem like they were stupid or boring. Ruby was having a good time. There was no way I could disrupt that. There was no way I was wiping that smile off of her face. It would hurt me too much.

When we walked back into the heart of the city, we approached by some guy in a suit.

"Could you ladies follow me?" All of a sudden, Yang stuck her arm out in front of us.

"Sorry, but we don't know you. We're not just gonna follow some guy off the street. Do you think we're stupid or something?"

"No. I'm here under the orders of Dr. Oobleck."

He suddenly pulled out a piece of paper and put it right in front of our faces. We all read it carefully and saw that he had something for us. We hesitantly followed the strange guy, but when we arrived, we were mistaken. He took us to a hotel and explained that we had the Emperor Suite. All of our jaws dropped to the floor. The front desk told us that we were their honored guests and that there was no charge. We nervously walked through the hotel and went up to our room. When we got there, the dream just wouldn't end. The room was huge and had a wonderful view of the city. Everyone ran around like they were just injected with adrenaline.

"Holy crap, this place is huge."

"I know. It doesn't seem possible that we're here right now." Ruby ran right at Yang and hugged her. Yang squeezed her as tight as she could and spun her around until they fell on the floor.

"Haha, we made it, Rubes."

For some reason, I couldn't bask in the happiness of the moment. I watched the three of them act like children and I was jealous. I searched long and hard for that side of me, but I couldn't find it. This place wasn't allowing me to. I don't know why. This was my plan from the start. I made it for Winter, so why am I not happy? I couldn't stay quiet. I had to speak my mind, even if it meant disrupting the atmosphere.

"Is this what you guys wanted?" My comment immediately hit them hard.

"Weiss, what are you talking about?"

"Yeah, we've been trying to get here from the start. Aren't you happy?"

"I am… It's just that… I'm not." The three of them were confused. Ruby walked over to me and grabbed my hand.

"It's over. There's nothing to worry about. We're all safe. That should be more than enough to make you happy."

Ruby's words were heavy. Her eyes pierced my heart. Although she was holding my hand, it felt as if my hand was frozen solid. Why was I thinking like this? We were safe. We accomplished our goal. What more did I think was going to happen? All of a sudden, Yang rose from the ground and had an interesting aura irradiating from her body.

"You know, I kind of get what Weiss is talking about." Ruby and Blake looked at her with weird looks.

"Yang, what are you talking? Are you not happy either?"

"It's not that. It's just that I'm starting to understand what Weiss is talking about." Blake walked over to Yang and looked her in the eye.

"Are you okay?" Yang grabbed the back of Blake's head and gently moved their two heads together. In that very instant, Blake's eyes shot open. "I… I guess you're right. So what should we do?"

"I still want to meet with that doctor. For some reason, I have a good feeling about him. He's the only one that seems to be like us." Blake and Yang nodded their heads. Ruby, on the other hand, was still a little confused. She didn't really understand and I didn't know how to explain all of this to her.

"Let's just get some rest and maybe things will be a little clearer tomorrow."

Once we finished cleaning up, we headed off to bed. There were two beds so Ruby and I shared one and Blake and Yang took the other one. Since the room was so big, the beds were on opposites of the room to give off a bigger feeling. When we turned off the lights and attempted to fall asleep, things were immediately different. Nothing was quiet. We could hear the sound of the A/C. We could hear the noises coming outside. People were partying and doing all sorts of other things. Not a single moment had a hint of silence. Back outside of the walls, things were always quiet. I don't know about the other three, but this was something that didn't sit comfortably with me. For some reason, that silence was so peaceful. Here, all of these sounds I was hearing did not feel comforting in any way.

Was this really the Atlas I've heard so much about?

End of Entry 11


	14. Entry 12

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 12

The Truth of the Matter

**Note:** If you haven't checked out my profile, I'll let you know about it now. Be sure to mark down March 15th of this month for I will be uploading a special story for a special occasion. I hope you guys enjoy this update and the ones to come.

The night was long and stressful. My eyes were closed, but I just couldn't sleep. I tossed and turned, hoping that it would help me find a comfortable position, but it didn't work. I smacked my face and got out of bed. For some reason, it was just too hard to find peace in this place. I went to the bathroom and splashed hot water on my face. I wasn't going to sleep tonight so might as well try to stay awake for as long as possible.

I then walked over to the window and stared at the city below us. Lights were shining on the streets and people were still out as if it was constantly daytime. I couldn't help but sigh. Being away from stuff like this for so long made everything seem like a dream. I've been in the danger zone for so long that this doesn't even seem possible.

As I continued to look down on the capital, I started to think back to when Ruby was in the hospital. I don't know why this memory came back to me, but I quickly threw it away. I didn't want to think about something like that. But then, out of nowhere, somebody came up behind me and wrapped their arms around me. I turned my head to see Ruby hugging me.

"Ruby, what are you doing up? You should be sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep. Something told me that you were feeling on-edge. I couldn't let that go unnoticed. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"That doesn't seem that way to me. You wanna tell me what's going through your head?" I couldn't bring myself to tell her. I just turned my head in fear.

"It's nothing. Just go back to sleep." She held my cheek and turned it back towards hers.

"I'm not going to sleep until you join me." She kissed me on the lips which immediately sold me. I took her hand and she led me back into bed where she cuddled up next to me.

…

In the morning, we all got up pretty early and got ready. Once when everyone was finished, a knock came from the door and Yang opened it up to see Dr. Oobleck standing outside of our room.

"Oh, Doctor, we were actually going to come visit you right now."

"Actually, I think it best for me to come here. May I come in?"

"Of course." He walked in rather strangely as if he had seen a ghost. Blake pulled up a chair next to the bed and he took the seat. We all gathered on the bed and opened up our ears. "So what brings you here Doctor?"

"I've come to complete my research." We all looked at each other with weird looks. "What Weiss did at the hospital was sensational. It was unlike anything this world has ever seen. I want to know how you did it. I want to know why you did it." All of a sudden, everyone turned their heads to look at me. "Ms. Schnee, if you would be so kind as to tell us what happened that day." I saw Ruby looking at me with big eyes. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"What do you want to know?"

"The truth."

"I honestly don't know. It just came over; the motivation to save Ruby's life. If I let her die on that bed with me by her side, nothing would have been worse than that. That's the only thing that kept me going during that time."

"Ms. Schnee, I understand your desire to save your partner, but that's not why I'm here. I want to know how and why you did it. In all respects, you should be dead, along with Ruby. Doesn't that spark something inside of you?" I tightened my fists and took another deep breath.

"Of course it does. It's just that there are some things in this world that we can't understand. One of them being the fact that I saved Ruby's life. Why can't you understand that?"

"Because I'm a scientist. We strive towards solving equations that have been unsolved through time. I want to know how you did it." I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up, grabbed the table lap, and threw it across the landing, shattering it to pieces upon contact with the wall.

"I don't know, okay?! I followed my heart. The whole thing about sharing life force or whatever. That was it! Nothing went into it! All I knew was that I needed to save her life. If I didn't, I would throw down my life for as well. I've lost too many people in this disaster than I can even count. Don't think you can come in and force me to answer something that is beyond me, beyond all of us. I'm sorry, Doctor, but I can't… We can't help you. Let's get out of here." I turned around to head towards the door when my wrist was grabbed. I turned around slowly to see Oobleck grabbing my wrist and staring at the ground.

"Do you wanna know something about this place, about this city we call home?" The other three stood up from the bed in concern and walked near the other side of the room.

"What are you talking about?" He didn't respond. He just continued to stare at the ground.

"Doctor, what are you saying?" He started to chuckle softly to himself.

"Heh, this is all funny. It's even fake when you think about it really." We looked at each other with confusion continually growing in our heads.

"What are you talking about?!" Yang grabbed him off the bed and pinned him against the wall. "You better start talking if you value your precious little life."

"Alright, alright. I'll talk. You want the truth. I'll give you it all. My theory of connecting life forces is all true. Nothing else can withstand the effects of Grimm existence. However, before I figured out the solution, the capital was already busy at work doing something else. Look outside. You guys see that tower in the middle of the capital. That is the secret of this place. That's what keeps people living for so long. It's energy source that allows people to feed off of it and in return, their life spans are uninterrupted. That's all I know. Because of my occupation, they don't let me near it or give me any information on it. I'm sorry. That's all I can give you right now. I hope you understand. I'm on your side." Yang let go of him and he returned to his feet.

On the other hand, we couldn't believe it. To these people, we were outsiders; completely unaware of the technology that they've created. I turned back towards the Doctor.

"So who knows the truth of all of this? Who knows about your theory?"

"Not many people. Just a couple of people who work at the hospital. That's it. I've tried to broadcast it to the citizens of the capital, but they won't listen to me. They're too caught up in the success of the capital to listen to what I have to say."

"So what happens if that tower's destroyed?" We all looked at Blake who was staring at the tower. She then turned around with a weird look on her face. "What would happen if Grimm were to infiltrate the city?"

"That's impossible. This city has never been breached in all of history. If they were too, they wouldn't get far." She walked closer to Oobleck with the same look on her face.

"Have you ever been outside of the walls?" He shook his head. "I wouldn't underestimate our enemy. We've seen things that don't make sense. We've been through countless hardships that these people would never be able to handle. You're telling us that this capital hangs by the thread of that tower?" He nodded his head. She then looked at the three of us. "We can't stay here."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Even Yang was starting to get a little worried about what was happening.

"It's not safe to linger here."

"Blake, you're scaring me. What are you saying?" She sighed.

"When we were outside of the walls, did you ever feel something during our days of traveling? A feeling of trouble or fear." We slowly nodded our heads. "Grimm are attracted to us… humans. It may not seem like it, but we also irradiate something outwards and that's what they can sense. That's why we were never really safe out there. We were constantly being hunted. It was just their sense of pace which gave us the upper hand. But now that you told us about that tower, it's only a matter of time before this city is taken over."

"You're being hysterical. I just said that this city has never been breached and if it will, nothing get far within these walls."

"And I just said to not underestimate our enemies. We need to leave." We all looked at Blake and saw how serious she was. Her eyes told us the entire story and we had to believe it. Everything she said was true and we weren't going to stick around for the worst part. We grabbed whatever we brought with us and headed down stairs to the lobby.

Right as we exited the elevator, we saw the entire lobby crowded with people. Everyone had bags and supplies and worried looks on their faces. What was going on? We weaved through the crowd of people and made our way outside where we heard a loud siren blaring through the streets.

"The city has been breached. Please find shelter as fast as possible." We immediately looked at Blake who was staring at the wall.

"It's too late."

End of Entry 12


	15. Entry 13

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 13

The Escape

All four of us looked at the wall and saw a huge hoard of Grimm making their way into the city. When we looked down, we saw endless waves of people scared and running rampant through the streets. It didn't even seem possible that this was happening and with such timing. I looked at Ruby who was looking at Yang.

"Yang, what do we do?" She looked at Ruby and put her hand on her shoulder.

"We have to leave the city. It's too late to try and save anyone." I was shocked. The way she was talking made it seem like there was no hope for them at all. As she tried to run the other way, I grabbed her arm and looked her in the eye.

"What happens to the city?"

"There is no city here." She broke free of my grip and ran towards the wall. As we ran, I couldn't help but look back. When I did, I saw Dr. Oobleck watching us leave. However, he didn't do anything. He didn't wave goodbye, he didn't call back for us; he just stood there and breathed his last breath. Luckily, I turned my head in time to avoid seeing that horrible sight.

As we neared the wall, we saw the Grimm make their way back onto the ground. At that same moment, we took our stance and readied ourselves for their attack. Even though we were all ready for what was next, I couldn't help but examine the situation around us. If we were trying to leave the city, climbing the wall would just be too much work. We'd even get picked off if we tried. I looked around for something that could get us on the other side of the wall, but there was nothing. There wasn't even a car or other type of vehicle that I could use to ram the wall.

However, I immediately realized that that was a stupid idea. The wall was built to withstand a great impact. Smashing a small object like a car wouldn't do much. As I refocused on what was in front of me, the fight immediately began.

I dove out of the way and shot at anything that came at me or the other three. However, I didn't need to worry about them too much. They were completely fine. They were cutting them down one by one with no sweat whatsoever. That's when a smile emerged from my face. I know, it's a weird time to smile, but it made me think of when we were out there by ourselves, fighting for only us. I couldn't help but think that that was going to happen soon.

I looked back at the wall and saw that we were still a ways away. Blake and Yang were responsible for the forward movement as Ruby and I covered our six. It was difficult to keep this strategy going since we were literally heading towards the enemy. However, we continued to push on. Staying in this city for a long period wouldn't be smart since most of the people were already dead and the Grimm would end up searching for any remaining survivors.

We pushed on and the Grimm were dropping like flies. I couldn't believe it was going this well. Unfortunately, there's always something that's going parallel to another thing. Once we made it to the wall, we noticed that the Grimm avoided us and headed deeper into the city. This confused us all. They outnumbered us like 20 to 2 yet they had no intention of going after us.

"Alright, don't worry about them. We need to get on the other side. Do you think there's some secret door that we don't know about?"

"I doubt that, and even if there was, we wouldn't know about it." The four of us looked high and low for something that could get us to the other side, but there was nothing. The wall was abandoned with everyone else near the heart of the city. We were literally the only ones around the wall.

As we continued to look around for something, Blake spotted a tanker truck just across the ways. She decided that if we blew it up, it'd might be able to breach through the wall. We decided to try it since there was really nothing else left to do. She ran to the truck and drove it right next to the wall. Once we got our distance, Ruby took out her sniper and shot the tank. First, she created a small hole allowing the liquid inside to flow out. She then shot near the same place causing the truck to explode.

Immediately, a huge explosion originated from the truck causing all sorts of debris to fly everywhere. Unfortunately, we didn't judge our distance very well. The debris from the wall flew over to the building we were standing behind and caused it to collapse on top of us. When I opened my eyes, I saw that neither Ruby nor I was injured. On the other hand, Blake's leg was crushed by some of the debris. Luckily, Yang dug her out of there and carried her in her arms. As we tried to make our escape, we saw another huge wave of Grimm make their way into the city using the hole we created.

"This is so strange. I've never seen so many Grimm before, not even when we were inside the Forbidden Land."

"I get a feeling I know why." Ruby and I peeked out of the building and looked up. Immediately, we saw the huge hoard of Grimm make their way to the tower that Oobleck talked about.

"Alright, enough sightseeing. We need to get out of here before they take down that tower. That's what's making things easier on us. Once we clear the wall, we need to get as far away from here as possible." We waited a few more seconds for the hole to get clear until we made a run for it.

Before we cleared the wall, I looked back and saw the tower become engulfed with the creatures of Grimm. I couldn't believe. They managed to take that thing down in such a quick fashion. I turned back around and continued to run. At first, it seemed like an eternity for how long we were running, but in my head, I knew that the longer we ran, the safer we would feel. Minute after minutes, hour after hour; we ran until our legs gave out. Luckily, by that time, we distanced ourselves enough to where we could barely see the wall through the fog that was swarming us. We struggled along until we came across a small, little neighborhood with a couple of houses. We decided that this was the best place to rest until we continued on our journey.

Since Blake was injured, Ruby and I handled clearing the house. We searched every room as quick as possible and settled in even quicker. It was difficult at first. Tending to Blake was scary because she was in pain and we didn't have a lot knowledge about physical health. The normal methods of healing Blake wouldn't work in this situation since broken bones are completely different than Grimm attacks.

We did everything we could. We kept her leg propped up the best position it could be. We put ice on her leg to prevent the swelling. The situation seemed direr than when Ruby and I were attacked by Grimm. At least, we were able to solve those problems. With this, time was the only thing we could depend on and where we were, it wasn't very abundant.

Once she started to calm down, Yang decided that it was best for her to just rest. She asked for Ruby and I to leave the room so she could rest. We left without saying another word and let them be. Ruby and I went into the living room where saw the sun approached the horizon. It was a gloomy sunset with the fog blurring up the image. As we looked at that ill sight, Ruby put her hand on top of mine and continued to stare in that direction.

"Night's falling once again." She then turned to me with a sad look on her face. "Do you think the dawn will ever come again?" I was hesitant to answer because I knew that that was a trick question. That question meant two things and I was unsure of which one to answer. Unfortunately, no matter which one I answered, the answer wouldn't be something pleasing to the ear. I pulled her body into mine and cuddled close to her.

"There will always be a dawn. We just have to have the patience to see it." With my arm around her body, she squeezed them as hard as she could. When she did, I felt a tear roll onto my arm which caused my eyes to water up. I did my best to hold back any extreme emotions, but inside, I knew that the dawn she was hoping for wouldn't come any time soon.

End of Entry 13


	16. Entry 14

A Remnant of Lost Time

Chapter 14

A Small Remnant

**Note:** This will be the final chapter. However, this won't be the end. I'm planning on writing another volume that continues the story, but I'm going to take a break and then resume writing as soon as possible. I hope you all have enjoyed this story and I can't wait for you guys to find out more about what happens with our lovely ladies. Anyway, please enjoy the final chapter of this volume and one more thing, this will be a change in point of view just to give it some closure for the time being.

This was completely unplanned, but they decided to stay at the house for a much longer time than expected. However, none of them even noticed. They were able to use this time to get used to how they were supposed to act in their situation. Ruby and Weiss spent most of their time in the living room, but occasionally went outside to make sure that there was nothing lurking around them. Once their little scans were over, they returned to the living room and said nothing to each other. For some reason, they couldn't find the words that were appropriate for the situation.

After so long, they finally reached Atlas. Weiss managed to reach Atlas, and yet, that wasn't the place she was yearning for. It was simply just a false image for the survivors. In reality, there was no safe place for humans because after what they found out from being there, it was inevitable. The Grimm would infiltrate Atlas and wipe out the remains of humanity. Now, they were forced to face the truth. Humanity was nearing extinction.

…

Yang sat at the end of the bed with Blake's leg on her lap. She was gently massaging it as Blake was resting quietly. She was constantly looking at her, making sure she was comfortable. As she was massaging her leg, she started to notice some interest things. It gave her a chance to examine it carefully and she felt that there were no broken bones. As gently as she could, she ran her hands up and down Blake's leg to make sure her observation was correct. She was correct. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Right as she did, Blake slowly opened her eyes to see Yang tending to her leg.

"Good morning," she said with a smile.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay. What you're doing is making things a lot easier." Yang smiled and got up from the bed, carefully putting her leg on the bed in a comfortable position. She then grabbed a chair and pulled it up next to the top of the bed.

"Blake, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. I wasn't watching out for you."

"It's okay. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to get out of there. Don't be so harsh on yourself," she said as she pressed her hand against Yang's cheek. Yang put her hand against Blake's and closed her eyes.

"I love you… so much." A tear rolled down her face.

"Yang, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that I'm still thinking about what happened to Atlas. The only thing I can guess is that it's been destroyed. No one was able to make it out of there." Yang bowed her head.

"I know this might sound really bad, but we can't afford to think about other people like that. All we can do is look out for Ruby and Weiss. The situation that we're in, it's too costly to be selfless like that."

"I know. It's just… Humanity is coming to an end. What are we going to do?"

"I don't know. We just have to stay alive and stay strong." There was a slight pause in their conversation. The two of them were thinking about Atlas and about their group. They've made it this far because they've only been thinking about each other. Blake was right. Selflessness was to put to be put at a low. As long as they had each other and the other two, that's all they really needed.

"Hey Blake?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, it's about your leg. I don't think anything's broken."

"Really?" She paused and looked at Yang. "But judging by your facial expression, there must be something else that's wrong with it."

"Yeah, I get the feeling that it's something worse. May I?"

"Of course."

Yang stood up and started at her waist. She gently felt around her upper thigh to make sure her injury wasn't there. Luckily, it wasn't so she moved lower. She cleared her thigh which made things a little easier on her. When she got to her knee, that's where she started to be extra careful. She gently felt around her knee, but nothing was bothering her. She then lifted her leg and slowly bent it when Blake screamed out in pain. She quickly laid it flat and started to worry. It was something with her knee. She bent her leg sideways as far as it could, but she felt no pain. She then felt the inner part of her knee which was when Blake screamed out again.

She couldn't bend it normal ways. It hurt when she touched the sides of it. The knee itself wasn't damaged in anyway which meant it was something more critical than she first thought.

"Blake, I think you tore your ACL." All of a sudden, a tear rolled down her face.

"Why are you crying?"

"This injury isn't something to joke around. If you want to heal efficiently, you can do very many physical things. You're as vulnerable as a baby." Yang fell on her knees and started to let the tears fall. Of all the injuries in this world, why did it have to be that one? As she was crying, Blake's hand caressed her cheek which made her look up at her.

"It'll be alright. There's nothing to worry about. You know why?" Yang wiped away her tears and grabbed Blake's hand. "Because I have you. You'll protect me." Yang closed her eyes and kissed Blake's hand as the tears continued to fall.

"I promise to protect you with me life. I love you, Blake."

"I love you too." Yang kissed her on the lips and crawled into bed as the two of them tried to forget about what was going on for the time being. Things were only going to get harder, not just for Blake, but for everyone else as well.

…

Ruby and Weiss were sitting in the living room. They were speechless and confused. After what they witnessed in Atlas, they didn't know what was going to happen to them. They had to stay optimistic, but it was going to be hard to think that way when death was slowly swarming them from all directions. As the silence continued to linger, Ruby turned her head to see Weiss staring at the ground. There was nothing going through her head. There was nothing to think about at a time like this.

"Hey Weiss, are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

"I don't know. It's just that you're so quiet and I can't help feeling it's something I did."

"What are you talking about? You did nothing wrong. If anything, it's my fault. I didn't see it sooner. If I did, we wouldn't have had to see what we saw."

"Weiss, you can pin all of this on yourself. Let us share it with you."

"No, I can't. We already have so much to worry about. This little thing would just be an annoyance to everyone else." She couldn't say anymore. She didn't know what to say. Even after everything they've been through, Weiss was still a mystery to Ruby. She didn't get even though she's been trying her hardest to. Something about her keeps Ruby guessing.

Out of nowhere, a small light came from their chests. They both looked down in confusion. Why was this happening? Wasn't it only a result of kissing each other? But they didn't kiss each other.

"Hey Weiss, can you close your eyes? I wanna show you something."

"What? Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"Please, just do it."

"Okay." At the moment, Ruby grabbed her hand and pulled her through the house. "Um, where are we going?"

"Just keep your eyes closed." When they made it to the back of the room, Ruby guided Weiss into the room and locked the door behind her. She then put Weiss on the bed. As Weiss was sitting on the bed, she saw that her eyes were still closed. She took a deep breath and leaned over in front of her, kissing her on the lips. Weiss immediately opened her eyes and scurried to the other side of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"Weiss, it's my birthday." Weiss was confused.

"Why are you telling me this?" Ruby crawled onto the bed and slowly made her way towards Weiss.

"Because I think it's time."

"Time for what? What is going on?"

"Weiss, I want to make love with you." Her eyes shot wide open.

"Wait, slow down. Why are you saying this? This isn't the time for that." Weiss turned around with a face as red as a cherry as she stared at the floor. However, Ruby was persistent. She continued to crawl towards her until she was right behind her. She wrapped her arms around her neck and placed her head right next to hers. "Ruby, we can't do that right now."

"Please Weiss. You're the one who said we should wait until the right moment. Well, I think that that moment is right now."

"Why would you think that?"

"We've gone through so much together. We've witnessed so much death that it scares me. I'm not sure whose next and I want to make sure that I have the power to protect you." Weiss raised her head slowly. "I've talked to my sister about it and she says that it's the right thing to do. She constantly feels Blake's energy rushing through her body as well as the other way around. I guess what I'm trying to say is…" Out of nowhere, Weiss turned around and kissed Ruby on the lips. The force of her kiss caused Ruby to fall onto her back with Weiss on top of her.

"I love you Ruby, but I just made things up with you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You saved my life once and I did the same for you just recently. If I consent to this, it means putting myself in your debt."

"No, no, no. There is no debt. I'm doing this for you. Don't think like that. I…"

"I will only consent to this in that I want to protect you too." Ruby smiled.

"Weiss."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

End of Volume I

**Ending Note: **Just like what I mentioned up top, there will be more to this story so there's no need to panic. All I ask is that you guys stay patient with me for I will take a couple of days to get further in the writing process of the next volume. Hopefully, by mid-next week, more will be available for you guys. Thank you so much for reading and be sure to check out my special story on March 15th. It should be good.


	17. Volume 2 Chapter 1

A Ripple in Time

Volume II Chapter 1

Our Journey Continues

**Note:** Finally, here's the next part of the story. I'm sorry it took so long for me to upload this story. I was just fine tuning the whole of this story so I hope you guys enjoy.

War. Crisis. What does it take for humans to be pushed to the brink? What does it even mean to be human? I don't even know anymore. That question has been in my head for so long, but has been left unquestioned for even longer. However, I'm slowly trying to find that out for myself. My friends and I are longing to know.

It's been since months since we've made a move. Don't ask about how we've survived for so long. It just happened. With that being said, we've managed to be very productive with our time. Most of that time was spent training me to fight, but everyone enjoyed it nonetheless.

For me, I've gotten a lot better with shooting a gun. Now, I don't carry the fear like I used to. I know why I'm using it and I know it costs when I do. The prize is always heavy, but in order for humanity to live on, we individuals have to make sacrifices. I've already made mine. I left my family behind in order to live on for them in the future, and I can't let them down now.

As for the others, their skills are still unparalleled. I'll never be able to compete with them, but now I know that I won't hold them back. Ruby worked on her shooting as well as help me out with mine. Blake and Yang taught me how to fight close combat. That part was definitely tough, but I had to get through it. Their training was brutal in that they didn't hold anything back. They wanted to make sure I could defend myself in a situation where I didn't have a gun. Not to take all of the blame in this, but the reason for our six month span was because of me. We weren't leaving until all of us were capable fighters. After witnessing the downfall of Atlas, we had to be even more prepared than before. Once everything was resolved, we packed whatever we had and continued on our path to find what we were looking for.

Leaving that topic for now, Ruby and I are doing well. Ever since that day, the both of us have felt each other in our hearts and souls. Yang was definitely right. I didn't seem real at first, but we slowly came to realize it and Yang kind of butt in to tell us what was happening. We couldn't help, but smile and hug it out as the four of us were finally a team.

Blake and Yang are also doing fine. Yang is doing so much for Blake since she has to put up with that injury for a long time. Because of it, Yang's become so protective of her that even Ruby and I can barely be with her. To be honest, I don't blame her. Without her, Yang doesn't stand a chance no matter how strong she may seem.

We didn't know where we were going so we just let the light of day guide us to where we felt was necessary. As we wandered aimlessly, it was obvious that the world was getting bigger. The amount of people we came across on the street was cut down so much that it didn't even feel like we were on the continent. It was scary. This only made me more wary of where we were. Any slip up and things would go downhill from there.

The weird thing was that we noticed some strange things as we wandered around. Hundreds of dead bodies were scattered all over the place and with them was a flag with crossed axes. We didn't know what it meant, but the only thing we could gain from it was that those were battlegrounds. Because of how Grimm work, it was hard to tell how the battle turned out, but with how many bodies we saw it, it was obvious. We were losing this fight and it wasn't known of how many people were still left alive after all of this. As time went on, we knew what we had to do. We had to fight. Our goal was to find this group with the crossed axes. They might have the answers that we're looking for or at least, give us a reason to keep on living.

Days went by and we approached another town with the same flag that we've been seeing. We've been curious about the flag for a while, but there was really nothing we could do about it. All that was left to do was find some shelter and resume our search tomorrow. Ruby and I were mostly in charge of finding shelter since Yang didn't want to risk Blake's safety so she stayed back until we cleared the area. When everything was checked out, they made their way into the house and set up camp. This time was a little different in that Yang decided set up camp next to me and Ruby. We didn't want to say anything about this strange behavior so we just smiled.

"So how are you guys holding up?"

"We're fine. How are you Blake?"

"Not being able to do anything sucks. To be honest, I love not having to walk, but not being able to fight or the usual things I do is just stupid."

"Hey, don't complain. We all want you to recover as fast as you can so don't even think about doing anything stupid." Yang grabbed her and pulled her into her body. Ruby couldn't help herself as she watched the two of them get comfortable. She slipped underneath my arm and cuddled close.

"Doesn't this feel better Weiss?"

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Us. We made l-"

"Lalala, okay, we get it. You don't need to talk about it anymore, jeez!" Ruby and the other two smiled. They knew what she was going to say and they knew that that topic made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

"But seriously, it does feel better, right?" I looked over at Yang who had straight eyes.

"It does. You were right. How did you know to do it when you met Blake?" The two of them looked at each other and smiled.

"Haha, I don't have an answer for you there. It just happened. In all honesty, I fell in love with Blake the moment I laid eyes on her. And then you connect the dots after that."

"Aaaawwww." Ruby looked up and me with huge eyes, but I couldn't look back at her. I knew she was teasing me so I just rolled me eyes and looked away.

"Thanks Ruby."

"So wait, I might have forgotten this, but did the two of you know about the whole 'partner' before you met?"

"No we didn't. After we became one, we just slowly started to realize it ourselves. Before we met each other, we felt our strength and motivation start to waiver, but after everything we went through, things took a hundred-and-eighty degree turn. Our strength returned as if by some stroke of luck. That's when we knew we couldn't be separated." Yang looked down at Blake and kissed her on the lips. I knew what was going to happen next. I looked down and Ruby was longing for one to. By now, I couldn't fight it. I lowered my head and kissed her back. After we finished, there was a huge smile on her face that I was glad to see once again.

"We should probably get to sleep."

"Okay."

"Weiss, would you mind taking the night shift today?"

"Of course not. I always feel bad about making you do it all of the time."

"Well, it was always my choice because of her, but tonight, I felt like sleeping with Blake."

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Then I'll stay up with you."

"No, Ruby. Go to sleep. Your rest is more important than mine." Ruby puffed out her cheeks.

"Fine. Good night." She sat up, kissed me on the cheek, and quickly fell asleep. Soon after her, the other two knocked out for the night and I was left alone in the dark. I took a deep breath and pulled out my gun.

Things are so different now.

End of Chapter 1


	18. Vol 2 Chapter 2

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 2

What's Going On?

**Note:** I hope you guys enjoyed that last part. I'm sorry that nothing really happened. I have this next volume planned, but I didn't want to immediately go into the meat of it. However, I'm sure that that was enough back story and things will finally pick back up. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy this update.

The night was long, but I couldn't complain. I was being productive and in this life, that's the best thing we can do. When the sun came over the horizon, everyone immediately woke up and got pumped for another fun day. Their attitudes were so random I couldn't explain it, but as long as we were together, nothing else really mattered. Before we left, we quietly checked the area around us to make sure there was nothing lingering around to catch us off guard. Once things were clear, we headed out as fast as we could.

Unknowing to us, the town we were in was actually pretty big. There were tall buildings and tons of streets. Unfortunately, this made us even more cautious. Big cities are known to have taken the most heat when Grimm attacked and we were unsure if there were any left still trying to find any remaining humans.

When we made it to the center of the city, those flags were everywhere. Dozens were covering the streets and building flag staffs. Crossed axes; there was something significant about that crest, but we still didn't know anything about it. After a few minutes of looking around, Yang decided to investigate a little bit. To her, the town seemed kind of similar and since they weren't in any rush, something different was a good idea. At first, I thought we would split up, but then I thought about Blake and how it would be really difficult for Yang to fend for the two of them so we just wandered around as a group.

We went from building to building, hoping that there was some sign of life or something that could indicate where we were, but nothing proved fruitful. Dead bodies were everywhere which made it hard to keep this plan going and most of the other stuff was burnt or destroyed.

After little success, the last place we came across was the town library. This was where things started to take a mysterious turn. Compared to everything else we've seen, this building looked the most intact. Also, the amount of flags in the front of it was unlike anything we've ever seen. They were lined up across the overhang of the building with barb wire lining the base of the building.

"You guys wanna go in?"

"Um, I don't know about this. Doesn't this kind of seem odd to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It just feels like something bad is inside this place."

"Come on Weiss, it's just a building. Everything here is destroyed. There's nothing to worry about. What do you say, Rubes? You up for an adventure?"

"Let's do it." Carefully and quietly, they cut a hole through the barb wire and walked through the front door. Immediately, they were in shock. The whole place was normal. Books were on the walls and it seemed as if this place wasn't even harmed when everything went downhill. I looked up and saw a huge hole in the ceiling which made sense. However, a bright beam of light shined through it as if it was a portal to heaven. We slowly walked into the main hall of the library and let our eyes roam free. We were to in awe so say anything.

Due to Blake's little obsession with books, Yang was forced to carry her over to one side of the room where she immediately grabbed the first book she saw and started to skim through it. On the other hand, I just couldn't believe the status of this building. It was unreal. Aside from the vegetation growing inside of it, it looked pretty good for an apocalyptic building. Just near the back of the library, Ruby was wandering around to see if there was anything cool she could take. As I watched her, I realized that this place wasn't just a library. There was more to it. I looked down and saw bullets everywhere. I looked up at the second floor and saw a whole bunch of maps on the walls with some pretty interesting data and in the middle of the room was a lounge area. I walked to it slowly and saw something on the table. It was a glass of water.

What?

Out of nowhere, I heard Ruby scream. I quickly pulled out my gun and saw that someone was standing behind her with a knife to her throat. Using my knowledge of movies, I was in the worst position. That person held all of the cards in this situation, but I couldn't back down. I kept my gun pointed at his face.

"Weiss, don't." At that instant, Ruby's eyes peered down which made me follow. I saw his other arm behind her back. He must have had something else on her. I had to lower my weapon. It's just like I said. They control this game now.

"Who are you?!" They didn't say anything. "Ruby, just stay calm." Blake and Yang made their way next to me, examining the situation.

"Hey bro, what do you want?" They still didn't answer.

"Ahh." The guy started to dig his face into Ruby's hair. She tried to turn away, but being in her position, there wasn't really anything she could do. I tightened my fist and gritted my teeth.

"Get the fuck away from her! She's not yours to take!"

"Weiss?" Yang's voice didn't faze me. I stared him down, but something inside of me made me fear what was to come. I didn't hold any power and yet I believe I could do something. I was just as stupid as could be. Out of nowhere, he kicked the back of Ruby's leg, dropping her onto her knees. He then gripped her hair causing her look up in pain.

"Aaaaahhhhh!" He then brought up his knife and looked me in eye.

"Nnnoooooo!"

"Enough!" Before he could bring his knife down upon her, a voice broke through and stopped his advance. We looked around until a strange man appeared on the second floor of the library. He was an older looking gentleman with nothing more a cane and glasses. "Release her!" He threw Ruby on the ground and I quickly ran to her, holding her in my arms as tight as I could.

At that same moment, the second floor started to fill up with people. After that, people filed into the main hall of the library until we were completely surrounded. Blake and Yang made their way over to us in silence. After a few minutes, that older gentleman made his way to the four of us and looked at us with wondering eyes.

"Four beautiful ladies, huh? What are you doing all of the way out here?" I couldn't answer. I was too busy consoling Ruby.

"Excuse me, sir, but where exactly is here?"

"You didn't know? You're in Vale." We immediately froze in time. Vale? How is that possible? I left Vale a long time ago. There's no way we wandered back in this direction. This news made me speak up.

"Wait, this is Vale?"

"Yes." We looked at each other with weird looks. During our travels, it was established that we were all from Vale, but left at different times. It just felt weird that we were here once again.

"Um, who are you?"

"Haha, excellent question." He stood up straight and raised his arms to the sky. "We are the Huntsmen!" There was a long silence for we didn't really know how to react. His voice echoed through the halls until it finally vanished. He eventually felt the awkward atmosphere and cleared his throat. "Ahem! Anyway, would you lovely ladies like to tell me what brings you here?"

"We've been on the run. Ever since the downfall of Atlas, that's all we've been doing." Immediately, the room started to fill up with chatter.

"Wait, Atlas has fallen?" We nodded our heads and the chatter started to get louder. "Alright, enough!" He yelled and the room quickly grew silent again.

"Sir, what does that mean now?"

"It just means that we're on our own. Atlas can't help us anymore. You hear that?! We are on our own now! This ain't spoon feeding time anymore! This is real!"

"You heard him! Back to work!" Everyone started to file out of the room. Meanwhile, we were watching without a clue of what was going on. We are on our own? Spoon feeding… what did all of this mean? Just as he was about to leave us, Blake asked another question.

"Who are you… really?"

End of Chapter 2


	19. Vol 2 Chapter 3

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 3

A New Discovery

"Who are we? Why would you even ask that question?" We looked at each other in confusion. It was obvious why we're asking that question yet this guy was a little too ignorant to realize we were clueless. "We are humanity's last hope for a doomed world. This is the army that has been made to fight the creatures of Grimm. We are the Huntsmen!" We were so shocked that we didn't know what to say. "Now, I know it may seem stupid, but I promise you that we have a lot to show for."

"Sir! We have a contact."

"Perfect. I'll be right up. Would you ladies like to join me?" Without waiting for our response, he walked off which only made us follow him. He guided up to the roof area of the building where we saw a couple of snipers scanning the area. At the end of the attic, we saw one sniper scoped in. "What's the situation?"

"One bogey. 500m out." Ozpin grabbed a pair of binoculars and checked for confirmation. Unfortunately, we were still outsiders so the other people there were kind of giving dirty looks.

"Yep. That's a go. Make it clean." After a few seconds, the sniper's body bounced as he shot his target. Everyone else watched until it was successful. "Clean shot, ace. Ground team, retrieve the body as fast as possible. We don't have much time." He patted the guy on the shoulder and walked back to us.

"What was that all about?"

"It's part of our job. Come one, there's still a lot more left for you to see." He took us back downstairs to another interesting place.

The first place we were shown was the training area. Incredibly, there was tons of space for people to stay active and train on various things. We couldn't help but ask how they were able to stay here. All he said was that they were smart. That wasn't really the answer we were looking for, but it was kind of expected since it seemed like he still didn't really trust us. After that, he took us to the sleeping area and that's where we started to realize how big their operation was. There were hundreds of beds lined up and he told us that there were more in other buildings of the city. This place was their main headquarters for dealing with Grimm situations. Everyone was working hard to figure out a solution to this problem as well as protect everything they have there.

The next place was their lab. This was when things started to get a little creepy. They had all kinds of Grimm stuff, both tangible and non-tangible things about Grimm. As we made our way into that area, the Grimm from before was wheeled in. Its body was covered in chains as they brought to the back of the room.

"Wait, didn't you guys kill that thing?"

"Of course not. We're smart enough not to do something like that. If we tranq it, it'll give us more time to find out more things about these fowl creatures."

"So have you found out anything?"

"Unfortunately, we haven't. These bastards are very fidgety, but we're constantly trying since we know that there has to be a way to defeat these things." Unfortunately, we weren't able to stay for the experiments on the Grimm because he took us back to the main room of the library. "So, have you decided?"

"Decided on what?"

"Will you join our fight against the Grimm?" We looked at each other and immediately got into a huddle. Already, it sounded like a good idea since we've been searching for answers to our questions. There wasn't anywhere else we could go and everything here looked pretty promising. However, Yang told us to be vigilant. She said it was best to have a doubt about these guys until we know for sure that they can be trusted. Once that was clarified, we exited our huddle and accepted his request. "Perfect. Pyrrha, get down here!" Out of nowhere, a girl jumped down from the second floor and walked up to Ozpin. "We have some new recruits so I'd like you to show them around a bit and get them more familiar with everything. Once that's done, you're free to do whatever else you feel is necessary."

"Aye." He walked off in silence and we didn't see him for the rest of the day. "Hello everyone. My name is Pyrrha and I guess I'll be your guide."

"Not to be rude or anything, but Ozpin showed around most of the place."

"Don't worry about that. There are places he doesn't show because he knows I do a better job with them. Come on. I'm sure you guys will love it." Immediately, there was something interesting about this girl. She didn't seem like the other people we encountered from before. She was down to earth and very kind. However, there was something lingering around in all of our heads that we were too afraid to ask.

First, she took below ground and showed us their network of tunnels. She said that this allowed them to travel more efficiently without worrying about running into any Grimm. In Vale, they networked the entire place so nowhere was off-limits. As long we travelled in small groups, we'd be fine. After that, she took us to the main hangout place. This place just didn't seem to fit in with everything else. We saw a whole bunch of people just sitting around and trying to have a good time.

"Oh yeah, just a word of advice. I'd keep your partner close. There's a lot of guys here so it can get pretty dangerous." Immediately, Ruby grabbed my arm and held it tight.

"Wait, what are you talking about?"

"You guys know about the whole 'partner' things right?" We nodded our heads. "Well, a lot of us are under age and looking for a partner. It's obvious that you guys already have yours, but they'll do anything to be guaranteed a longer life. Just keep that in mind."

"Well, what about you? Are you worried?"

"No, I have my partner. You wanna meet him?" She guided us out of the recreational area and took us to the armory. When we got there, we couldn't believe our eyes. They had endless lines of guns and assorted weapons that we didn't even know still existed. Yang was the most excited being in this place. Her dual shotguns were awesome and all, but it was obvious that she was wanting a new weapon. As we looked around, a loud bang came from behind us. We quickly turned around to see a guy with his hands on a bazooka that was on a table. At that same instant, Pyrrha skipped over to the other side of the table and hugged his arm. "Everybody, this is Jaune. He's my partner."

"Hey ladies. You must be new." We nodded our heads with blank looks. This guy was well built and really handsome, but then again, Pyrrha was very pretty and had a really good body for a girl so it kind of made sense that these two were together. "Hey Pyrrha, do you think we should ask them to test it out?"

"I don't think so. No one's been successful with it. Just leave it alone." Immediately, Yang butt in.

"Test what?" The two of them looked at each other nervously and stayed quiet.

"Hey! I know we just got here, but we need to start trusting each other. Personally, you two seem like really good people." They finally sighed.

"Alright." Jaune walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a weird looking weapon. It was a silver sword. It was pretty petite which made us wonder what the big deal was about. "Do you guys know what Dust is?"

"Is that a joke?"

"No, not a dust as in dead skins cells. I mean Dust, like the weapon." We looked at each other with confused looks. That kind of thing existed? We shook our heads like idiots. "Well, it's something new that we discovered. Unfortunately, we haven't found anybody who is compatible with it, but we do know that it is a power source like no other. Would you guys like to try?" Immediately, Blake grabbed the sword out of his hand, but nothing happened. Then, Yang took it out of her hands, but she got the same result. After her was Ruby, but she had the same luck. By now Jaune and Pyrrha were getting a little discouraged.

"It's made from the strongest metals, but is extremely light to enhance speed." Finally, I took it from Ruby's hands and that's when things started to happen. At the top of the hilt were chambers that lit up with different colors. I looked around in concern, but everyone else was starting to distance themselves from me.

"Hey, what's going on?"

"Does it hurt?"

"No. Why is this happening?"

"Because you're compatible." My eyes shot wide open as I threw the sword back on the table. I also pulled my hand into my chest to make sure that there was nothing wrong with it. I looked up and saw Jaune and Pyrrha holding the sword and examining it. "Wow, that's the first time I've ever seen that happen."

"We should probably tell Ozpin about this."

"No, let's wait."

"Why?"

"We need to make sure she can keep doing it."

"What are you talking about?"

End of Chapter 3


	20. Vol 2 Chapter 4

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 4

Dust

**Note:** Just a heads up for all of my readers. The week of April 6th, the times of release for my stories will be a little lax. I will be on vacation that week so I'm not going to be prompt, but they will still come out. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy.

"Wait, what are you talking about? I don't understand a single word you guys are saying."

"Just relax. We're just excited. No one's ever been compatible with Dust before. You're the first person to be able to do it."

"So what does that mean?"

"It means that this weapon belongs to you now. Take care of it." Pyrrha handed me the sword again and I took it from her hands. It was weird. This time, it felt a lot more comfortable, almost as if it was really my weapon. Out of nowhere, Ruby ran up from behind me and stuck her nose in.

"Whoa, that's so cool Weiss. You're so lucky. You get a new weapon like that. Ugh, I'm so jealous right now."

"Hey Ruby, would you like to see something cool? I think you'll really like it."

"Okay." Her face lit up as she ran to follow Jaune to some other area of the weapon area. At the same time, Pyrrha noticed Blake's condition and told her that their medical area was pretty helpful. She guided Blake and Yang to that area while I was left alone. I didn't know what to do. I had a sword in my hand that was foreign to me. What could I possible do with this?

"I see that it's become responsive to you." I jumped as I turned slowly. It was Ozpin again. "You must be really special then. Not to put myself on a pedestal or anything, but I wasn't even able to make that thing work."

"Um, I'm kind of confused about all of this. I don't even know what this means." He chuckled.

"Here. Come and join me on a little walk." He turned around and started to walk off. It took me a while before I decided to follow him, but when I did, I didn't regret. At first, he started off with simple introductions that we forget to do when we first met him. After that, he went more into details about the things that I was questioning ever since we got here. "So I bet you're wondering how this kind of operation has managed to stay alive after everything that has happened in this world?" I nodded my head. "It's quite simple actually. I was an underground warrior before all of this."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, this world experienced an incredible time of peace, right? That was when fighting and combat were no longer needed. The four nations agreed that acts of violence and war would not be tolerated. They abolished anything to do with things like that until the knowledge was almost lost. I was one of the only ones who still has all of that knowledge. And when Sky Fall occurred, I reacted as quickly as I could to stand for humanity."

"So you managed to bring these people together?"

"Yep, it was definitely a long road, but it was all worth it in the end. With these people working together, we give humanity a chance to live on through these hard times."

"Now, I'm not trying to call you old or anything, but shouldn't you have a partner by now?"

"Haha, there's no need to worry about that. I have one and I keep her safe from harm. You know how important they are too us. Wouldn't you want to do anything to keep them safe?" His words were so compelling. I felt that way with Ruby. Even though she was the stronger among the two of us, I constantly wished there was something I could do to make sure that she wouldn't get hurt. "So I understand that you and your group have been through a lot lately. Would you mind telling me about the things you've seen?"

"Well, there's really not much to see. Everything we've been through is gone now. Our homes, the four nations; there's nothing left. It's just too hard to think about."

"I understand. I apologize for making you think about something like that." There was a slight pause in our conversation before he moved on to something else. "Now about this thing called Dust, do you know what it is?"

"No, that's what I'd like to know. Jaune and Pyrrha were making a big deal about me being able to use this weapon, but I don't understand what the big deal about it is."

"That's quite alright. Dust isn't something most people understand. Even I don't know the whole truth about its existence. I do that it's a source of energy that's found in this world. A few miners went on a little exploration and found it buried deep in the crust of the planet. They didn't know what it was at first so they took to multiple labs to figure out what it was. It wasn't until the days before Sky Fall where they figured out what it was. Dust is a power source like no other. However, it longs for a host. If there is no such host, its energy supply will remain dormant until that time comes. In this situation, it has found a host. That's you."

"You make it seem like a bad thing. Most of the times when you think of the word 'host,' it relates to parasites and other horrible things that can enter our body."

"Haha, I'm sorry. I guess that word was a poor choice. But it all respect, Dust needs to have a sufficient holder in order for it to be able to access its full potential." All of a sudden, he grabbed my hand and looked me straight in the eye. "You are now responsible with this weapon. Please do your best to care for it. I don't want to scare you or anything, but it's very valuable to our cause so treat it with love." Once that was over, he left without another word and again, I was left alone. I looked around and didn't see the other girls so I decided to wander around until I found myself in the recreational area of the building.

All that time, I was thinking about what he said. This whole thing about Dust and how it can stand as humanity's strength in this war. It just didn't make any sense to me. However, I tried to keep an open mind. This was only the beginning so I couldn't shut my mind to the possibility that this sword could do great things for me and for the rest of the world.

For the rest of that day, I didn't see anyone from our original group so I decided that they were having fun with this place. At that moment, I realized that this place was what we were looking for. So far, they want to restore this world to how it used to be and the people around them were all different in their own special way. The more I thought about it, the more I began to think that we might be able to save this world. The creatures of Grimm still pose a huge road block for us, but it doesn't seem like they'll be a problem for us. We all know what needs to be done and it'll happen, in time.

End of Chapter 4


	21. Vol 2 Chapter 5

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 5

A New World

**Note: **I apologize for not updating last week. I decided to take vacation back at my hometown. I spent a lot of time with my family and didn't have any time to upload. I didn't want to attract any attention away from that so I hope you can understand. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this update and things will return to normal.

The sleeping conditions weren't anything too special. For some reason, we were given special living quarters. It was in a more secluded area which was nice. Unfortunately, it just didn't feel right. We just go there and yet we were being treated like we were something other than normal people. That made things a little difficult for us since we constantly felt guilty. However, we had to push through and do as we were told. We were now a part of something bigger and we couldn't afford to think about stupid stuff like that.

When the next day came around, we got early and walked around to see if there was anything we could. Surprisingly, this place was pretty efficient. No one really slept in as it seemed like they all had tasks to complete before the sun set. Also, something I didn't even realize was that Blake was walking on her own. I tried not to make it seem obvious as I checked her body when I saw an interesting looking brace locked to her injured knee. I asked her about it and she said that their medical area had something special for her. She said that it had the ability to speed up her recovery process. It nearly blew my mind that that was possible. However, the more she was up, the better. As we continued to check the entire place, we ran into Jaune who told us that Ozpin needed to see us. Without a word, we followed him back to Ozpin's room. When we got there, he and Pyrrha were waiting for us so we knew something was up.

"Good morning ladies, I hope you all slept well." We couldn't help but look at each other with weird looks for that wasn't really true.

"Haha, I guess you can say that. What's up? Jaune said you needed to see us."

"Right, let's get down to business. As you should know by now, we are gathering an army to eliminate the Grimm threat. However, our knowledge of them is not quite at 100% so we can't afford to waste lives when it's not needed. With that being said, I have a task for the six of you. You've been able to survive out there by yourself so I'm asking something important of you. I want you to scout some of the areas around the city and see if you can gather anything that could help us fight these beasts."

"Wait, you want us to go out there and fight?"

"Only if it's necessary." All of a sudden, Ruby jumped in the girl and pumped her fists.

"Yes, I get to test out my new weapon." That was another thing that took me by surprise. She and Jaune did go off on their own yesterday so she must have gotten something new. I couldn't help but wonder what it was. She could handle any weapon realistically so things could only get better for us.

"Calm down, Rubes. What specifically do you want us to find out about?"

"Nothing too serious. We still have time to spare, but I would like it if you could find their source of power or nest, if you would like to call it that."

"Nest? How do you know something like that exists?"

"We don't. That's why I want you guys to go out and confirm that there is or isn't. It'll make things a lot easier for us if we know the full extent of our enemy." He leaned back in chair and then Pyrrha took the reins of the conversation.

"I guess we should head out." She and Jaune made their way out of his room and we followed not far behind. First, we visited the armory to make sure that we had everything we needed. After that, we headed to an underground garage that led us about a mile away from the building. When exited the tunnel, we were met by dirt blowing from the wind and a harsh light from the sun. It's been awhile since we've been out like this so it felt a little weird, but we eventually got used to it. "Hey Ruby, how good are you shooting skills?" She suddenly stood up straight and brought her hand up to her head.

"Above average, ma'am!"

"Haha, there's no need for that. Anyway, would you mind being our eyes?"

"Sure, but it's a little hard to do that when most of this land is flat."

"Don't worry. There's a building in the middle of Vale that serves as a good bird's nest. Head there and take this." She handed Ruby an earpiece. "When you get there, contact us and we'll begin.

"Yes ma'am!" She hoisted the sniper on her back and started to run back into town. Before she left, she ran back towards me and kissed me on the lips. I was completely caught off guard and nearly fell on my butt.

"What was that for?"

"Just to keep you safe," she said with a smile. Once that was over, she made her way into town. After a few minutes of waiting, Ruby finally radioed in and we began to search the area. Pyrrha decided that we would search a two-mile radius of the town and then return once we were done. To keep things simple, we split into two groups. Jaune and Pyrrha went together and the three of us went together. This made it a little hard for Ruby since she had to follow two groups at once, but she apparently enjoyed it since she never stopped talking.

As we started our search, the three couldn't stop talking about being back outside. Even though everything looked horrible, somehow, it felt right to be back where we spent most our time before. I had to ask Blake how she was doing and she said that that brace was working really well. She barely even limped and she said that she could barely feel any pain.

"Yeah, it feels good to walk around on my own." I looked over at Yang and it was obvious that she didn't like this change. In her head, I knew she wanted to carry Blake for as long as she could.

"Sorry Yang. These things don't last forever," I said as I patted her on the shoulder.

"Shut up! Don't tease me." We all laughed.

It was strange. There was danger all around us, in some places we weren't even aware of, yet we were having a great time. No matter how bad this world gets, I know that being with these girls will make it better in the long run.

End of Chapter 5


	22. Vol 2 Chapter 6

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 6

On Enemy Territory

We split up into two groups and went in opposite directions. Pyrrha said that this was increase our efficiency and we quickly followed her instructions. Before we separated, she told us to contact each other if they spot anything out of the ordinary. She nodded our heads and finally went off to do our own things.

We were definitely excited. I know it's weird to think about, but we were. Finding people again and being sheltered like that was good and all, but we all knew that being outside was where everything was. We didn't care about the danger around us; we simply invited it. Our eyes scanned the entire area, but we couldn't find anything. Occasionally, we checked in with Ruby and she would crack a joke about she had a clear shot on all of us. It was a crude joke since guns weren't something to joke about. After that, we'd check in with Pyrrha and Jaune to make sure that they were okay. Something that made things more fun was that Pyrrha and Jaune were quite the talkers. Every time we checked in with them, they try to start a conversation, but we just said that we had to concentrate which made them shut up. After a while, we silenced our earpieces and talked about things that we didn't want them to know about.

"So what do you guys think about all of this?"

"I think it's really good here. I know I said to be cautious around these people, but I'm really starting to think that they're fighting for the same thing as us."

"Yeah, I haven't been given any reason to assume otherwise." I nodded my head as Ruby broke through all of our ears.

"Well, I like it here a lot… If anyone cares."

"Oh, Ruby, of course we care." Yang immediately shook her head with a weird face.

"Hey Yang, you know I can see you." She had totally forget about that. Ruby was their eyes and she was doing a splendid job at it.

"Oh, haha. Ruby, how are Jaune and Pyrrha doing?" It took her a few seconds to readjust since she was eyed on us at that time. When she finally spotted the two of them, she said that they were stopped with their weapons drawn. That's when we turned our earpieces back on to check out what was happening with them. "Hey, you guys there? What's going on?"

"We're not sure if this is what we're looking for, but we found a huge hoard of Grimm a few more miles out from our patrol path."

"Should we come over a check it out?"

"No, don't worry about it. Jaune and I can handle this. Continue the patrol. We don't want to be out here when the sun goes down." The three of us turned our heads and saw that sun was on its downfall. It didn't seem like we were out here for so long, but we couldn't argue. We slowly increased our pace until our patrol was finally done. We had a patrol a little more than Jaune and Pyrrha since they had something to deal with. Once we met up, we returned to the library where they led us to a conference room. After a few minutes, Ozpin made his way into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Alright, so what's the situation?" He looked at the three of us, but we were unable to give him anything useful. He then looked at Pyrrha who gave him a gist of their patrol.

"It wasn't much, but we saw a hoard of Grimm gathering about another 2-3 miles outside of town."

"Did anything look suspicious?"

"Not really, but it did look like they were searching for something." There was a pause in the conversation. Ozpin put his hand on his chin and started to think. It was awkward for us since we were pretty useless in that meeting. However, it was best that we stayed since we had a purpose if things got bad.

"You said that they were searching for something?" Pyrrha nodded her head. "This may be a little pessimistic, but there might be a drop in the human population." We were suddenly confused.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's quite simple really. Why did Sky Fall occur?" We all looked at each other since this question was very easy.

"Because Grimm started to attack humanity in huge numbers. We tried to use our forces to stop them, but it proved worthless."

"Right! And where were the heaviest hit places?"

"The four kingdoms."

"Correct! And do you know why that is?" We shook our heads. It wasn't because we didn't know the answer. We just that it would be better if Ozpin told us instead of prolonging the inevitable. "It's because of the way we shaped civilization. Overpopulation in our four kingdoms led to their demise first. After that, Grimm found their way to secondary cities and so on and so forth."

"So why are you telling us this? We already know this stuff. You're wasting our time." He suddenly rose from his chair and walked to the door.

"Grimm are attracted to high amounts of human energy. Just think: Where is the highest area of concentrated of human beings left in the world?" He opened the door and left without saying another word. His question was the perfect definition of mysterious. It was a good question with an obvious answer. The fact that we didn't want to speak the answer was what made it so mysterious. If that was true, what was next for us? Did he have a plan of attack? Escape? There's no way we decided to stay here simply to die. I suddenly turned my head towards Pyrrha and Jaune who were just as surprised as we were.

"Did you guys know about this?"

"Know about what?" By now, it was obvious that Ozpin was the only who had knowledge of the entire situation. It angered us a little bit since we gave him information, but he neglected to return the favor. Suddenly, there was a lot of commotion in the main hall of the library. We quickly made our way out of the conference and down to the main hall.

When we got there, people were crowding around something in the middle of the room. Since we were small, it made it easier for us to weave through the sea of people. Once we made it to the center of the group, we saw Ozpin already there staring at a computer screen. The man operating the computer had a worried look on his face while Ozpin was calm as could be. After a few more seconds, he turned around and left the group. At that moment, the pushing and shoving took place which forced back to the edge of the group. We tried fighting to get through, but it wasn't enough. We were forced to wait until the heat died down. When it finally calmed down, we walked to the computer screen and saw something strange. It was a GPS image of the Vale with a blue blob right in the middle of it. Everywhere else around the city were red blobs that were popping up like no tomorrow.

So it was true.

End of Chapter 6


	23. Vol 2 Chapter 7

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 7

Break Time is Over

It was a radar and what we were seeing was a live feed of the creatures of Grimm surrounding us. It didn't even seem possible. The red blobs were appearing as if someone was painting it as we were watching it. What did this mean? Out of nowhere, a voice broke through the commotion and we all looked up to Ozpin on the second floor addressing every one of us.

"Attention everyone. I would like everyone's attention." Suddenly, the whole room went silent except for Ozpin's voice. "If you haven't already found out, the creatures of Grimm are amassing outside of the city. They've caught on to our energy. All I ask now is that everyone remain calm. We've been training. We've been prepaing for this moment and we will not let these savages defeat us. We are the last defense humanity has to reclaim this world. Are we going to give that up?!"

"No!"

"Are you going to back down?!"

"No!"

"So will you stand up and fight with your brothers and sister to make this world ours once again."

"Yeah! Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, rah!" The whole building shook at the sound of their chant. On the other hand, we were just standing there without any clue as to what was happening.

"Man you battle stations and remember: Live strong and live on." Out of nowhere, they pumped their fists to the sky as that was the final thing before everyone went off to their areas of work. We urgently looked around to try and help, but everyone looked as if they knew what they were doing and didn't need help from newbies like us. As we turned and turned, a hand was placed on my shoulder which caused me to look up. It was Ozpin. "Ladies, come with me." Without saying anything, we followed him back to his office where he closed the door behind him.

"So what's going on… aside from the obvious?"

"I'm sorry that you ladies have to go through something like this again, but we are experiencing a war and I would like your help to defeat the enemy. I know it sounds selfish of me…" 

"No, it's fine. If there's any way we can help, we'd be more than willing to help." A smile appeared on his face.

"Thank goodness. I wish there were more people like you four here, but that's not really the reason why I brought you back with me." We looked at each other in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" He walked over to the shelf of books and pulled one off. Immediately, the book shelf split into two where an upward staircase was hidden from sight. We didn't know what to say. We had no idea that this place was intricate. "What is that?"

"If you ladies don't mind, I'd like you to follow please." He went up the stairs and we followed close behind. As we walked up the stairs, we couldn't really see anything. It was pitch black with no lights at all so we had to use our hands to make sure that we didn't bump into each other or run into anything dangerous. After a few seconds, ended up bumping into each other as we came across a door. "This is the real reason why I've brought you here."

He opened the door to a big, bright room. It took us a second to readjust to the lighting, but when we did, it looked like we were in their research department. However, we visited that area in the past and it did not look like this. There were a lot less scientists there that looked much busier. All around the room were computer screens that had stuff on it which none of us understood and right in the middle of the room was a strange device. It was really big, almost the size of our bodies and it looked to be facing downwards.

"Um, Ozpin, what is this?"

"This is our last resort."

"What do you mean?"

"If what we saw on that radar holds true, we don't have nearly enough men to combat our enemy. If we're lucky, we'll be able to dent their numbers, but won't be able to extinguish them. That's what this is for." We started to get a sense of what he was talking. We surrounded the device and examined it carefully.

"You know, it kind of looks like a…"

"A bomb. Have things really come down to this?"

"I'm sad to say that they have. I've gathered all of the best minds in the world, but none of them have been able to figure out how to stop these things. After years and years of research, nothing came up so they decided to work on an ulterior motive. They created a bomb that can destroy everything organic in nature, even in the slightest… including our Grimm friends out there." All of a sudden, all four of us widened our eyes.

"You've got to be joking, right? You can't use this. There are so many lives here that are worth saving. There has to be another way."

"There is no other way."

"You're a fucking coward! There's time. We can figure out something. Just tell your scientists that they have more time. I'm sure they'll figure out something. You can't just throw away the lives of all of these people." Suddenly, he turned around slowly and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry that I never told you this, but every person here is willing to throw away their lives to see the survival of the human race." We gasped in unison. It seemed like a dream that he would resort to such drastic measures.

"So why bring us here if it'll eventually kill us?"

"Because, if worse comes to worse. I want you four to escape the city at all costs."

"Hold on a second, this is ridiculous. What good would it be for us to escape all by ourselves?"

"You made it here on your own, didn't you? What you told me about Atlas and how it fell tells me that you're prepared to do anything to see the rise of humanity once again. We're all losing that drive and we need someone to take over that burden. I now know that that has to be you four. Return this world to us." Out of nowhere, an alarm blared through the building.

"Attention, man your battle stations. Enemy activity has been upgraded to a code red. Prepare for battle." We looked at Ozpin who smiled at us and nodded his head. We didn't know what that meant, but we did know that we had to leave that room. We quickly ran down the stairs and started to search for Jaune and Pyrrha. Thankfully, we were able to find them in the armory. When we got there, we saw tons of people arming up which made us worry a bit.

"Oh thank God you guys made it back."

"We were starting to get worried you weren't going to join us."

"Pyrrha, did you know about Ozpin's plan?" She didn't respond. She just chuckled to herself as she loaded her gun. Then, she walked towards the group of soldiers when she finally turned around and looked at us. "Pyrrha, are you okay?"

"Live strong and live on." We widened our eyes as the garage door opened up and everyone else started to walk out.

"Pyrrha, wait! Please don't do this!" Ruby reached her hand towards her, but she wouldn't look back. Out of nowhere, another hand was placed on my shoulder. I looked behind me and saw Jaune standing there with a smile on his face.

"Don't worry about this. We'll be fine. You guys have a more important job to do." After that, he grabbed his sword and shield and ran out to catch up with the group of soldiers. We then looked at each other with blank looks on our faces.

What do we do?

End of Chapter 7


	24. Vol 2 Chapter 8

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 8

Join the Battle

**Note:** Since I changed the schedule for this story, it may not seem like it, but the end is nearing for those who are wondering. Be sure to stick around until the end and I want to thank everyone who's spent the time reading this story. It really means a lot and I hope you enjoy another update.

Time was being wasted. We quickly snapped out of our trance and ran into the battlefield. We had quite the distance to go until we actually reached the battle, but from where we were, things were looking bad. Grimm were surrounding the city. Incredibly, we had the numbers to combat them, but it didn't look too good. Everyone was fighting to the last breath. Was this really how things were going to end?

"Hey Weiss, you know how to use that yet?" It took me a second to realize that Ruby was the one asking me the question.

"Huh? Sort of." She gave me a dirty look. "I'll figure it out. Wait, what are _you _doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing? I'm fighting with you guys." We suddenly stopped in our tracks when yang walked over to Ruby and put her hand on her shoulder.

"We appreciate the help, Rubes, but we need you covering us. From what it looks like, we'll definitely need you as our second pair of eyes."

"But…"

"Hey, we'll be fine." Yang let go of Ruby and started to run towards the battle with Blake. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but stare at Ruby's sad face. She's always been the fighter, but not being able to fight really put a damper on her mood.

"Hey, it's going to be fine. I promise I'll be fine." She had her head down as she wiped her eyes.

"You better." I put my hand underneath her chin and raised it up towards my face. I then kissed her on the lips and we experienced a rush of energy through our bodies.

"I'm counting on you." Ruby pumped her fists and smiled.

"You can count on me." With that, we went our separate ways. For me, it felt kind of weird. I don't think I've ever fought on my own; that is, without Ruby. She's always been by my side and not having her with me really made me realize how close we've become. She always had my back even though I never really had hers. But this time wasn't really any different. She was covering me and I was going to make sure that nothing got passed me.

Finally, I entered the fray while Blake and Yang were already fighting. Thankfully, nothing attacked me so it gave me some time to figure out how I was going to use this thing. I never really got to experiment with it on my free time so this was it for me. I analyzed the chambers and saw that each one had a different color. Obviously, that meant each one did something different… But how would I activate them.

At that moment, I heard snarling coming my way. I turned around and saw a Beowulf heading right for me. I had to ignore this mechanism for now. I lowered my arm and started to run towards it as well. When I got within striking distance, I brought the sword behind my head and swung it down. When that happened, a huge trail of fire was launched at the beast, burning it to a crisp. I suddenly looked down at the sword in shock. I then turned my head to see some of the soldiers looking at me with big eyes. I didn't know what to say. I had no idea that that was possible.

"Hey, if you're with us, use that thing on those bastards, yeah?" They gripped their weapons and ran towards the enemies. I watched them in confusion. It's not like it's easy to do what I did. I don't even know how I did that.

Out of nowhere, another Beowulf appeared behind me, but I was too late to react. But then, a loud boom echoed across the land as the beast dropped its arms and collapsed to the ground. It was Ruby. I took a sigh of relief as I saluted her. I don't how she reacted, but I'm pretty sure she was a little angry that she had to do that. I quickly got back in the game and resumed fighting.

As I fought, I saw dozens of Grimm drop to the ground. It was both from our fighting along with Ruby's sniping skills. I looked over at Blake and Yang and they looked to be having a great time. Yang had a smile on her face every time she looked at Blake. I guess having her back on her feet was a joy to see, and it definitely was. I wouldn't want Blake sitting on her ass while we were sacrificing ourselves. That was, no way, intended to be selfish in any way. The battle cries and yells were filling the air as we were starting to overcome the enemy. It almost didn't seem real that it was this easy, but it was. Their numbers dwindled down to nothing. Our numbers were only lost by single digits. Each commanding officer radioed in to make sure that everyone else was alright. Once it was confirmed, we took a sigh of relief. I plopped onto the ground in exhaustion. I didn't realize it, but that time when fire erupted out of this thing, it really knocked me for a loop. It had a lot more kick than I thought. I stared up into the grey skies as Blake and Yang towered over me.

"Hey, you alright?" I nodded my head with a smile.

"You did some pretty cool stuff Weiss. I'm actually kind of jealous that you can do those kind of things."

"Eh, I just got lucky." I slowly returned to my feet with the help of them two. "I don't know if I could ever recreate that."

"Haha, don't worry about it." Yang slapped my back, nearly causing me to cough up a lung. "That wasn't too bad. I had a feeling things would go smoother than expected."

"Hey Ruby, how you doing?"

"Great. You guys looked great out there, but Weiss… What were you doing?" I froze for I knew what she was talking about.

"Um, what are you talking about Ruby?"

"You know what I'm talking about! You nearly died! If I wouldn't have been there, what would have happened?!" I took a second to regain myself since her voice was so loud over the earpiece.

"Ruby, I'm sorry. I was being careless. I promise it won't happen again." I could hear her sigh.

"Fine. Just don't let it happen again. _I _nearly died." I couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm sorry." We wrapped our arms around each other's shoulders and headed back to the base. Unfortunately, our good fortune ran out a long time ago. We heard one of the officer's receive a message over his radio from another one of the other defense squadrons.

"What's going on?"

"We're under attack!"

"What?! How's that possible? The enemy's been defeated." We turned our heads. At that moment, we saw hundreds of Grimm erupt from the ground while the dead bodies disappeared into the wind. We couldn't believe this was happening. "Return to your posts! Protect the city! Don't let them through!" Suddenly, the enemy charged with red eyes and mouths open. The fight wasn't over. It was nowhere near being over. The only bad thing was that we had no idea that that was the case.

End of Chapter 8


	25. Vol 2 Chapter 9

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 9

Dire Circumstances

Grimm were charging from all over the place. The place where we were was the last to get hit. We armed up as fast as we could and fought them back as hard as we could. Things were definitely different this time around. They were overpowering us in every way and there wasn't much that we could do. The first wave that hit us was pretty taxing on us so having to deal with another wave immediately was hard to do.

Without having any time to regroup, I was forced to keep on fighting. I tried figuring out how I did that fire attack from before, but nothing was working. At that point, I was starting to get frustrated with myself since I wasn't of much use to the soldiers around me. Everyone was fighting to their last breath, but it didn't seem to mean anything. The number of our losses started to increase as the enemy's decreased. There wasn't a lot of time left.

I looked around and saw that Blake and Yang were still holding on. They were definitely the ones who were responsible for keeping the enemy at bay. On the other hand, I was mostly just examining the battle. Near the other side of the city, one of the lines of defense was already broken. I turned my head again and saw another line of defense get broken through. I looked back towards Ruby's building and saw that she was starting to shoot down the ones that were heading towards the city. Because their numbers were so great, most of them started to reach her building and ascend up to the top. That's when I knew that I couldn't stand by and watch.

"Blake! Yang!" They turned their heads. "We need to head back to the city! Our defenses have already been broken." They looked around and saw that it was true. They then looked at our group and saw that they were doing a pretty good job at holding them back.

"Alright, let's go!"

We grabbed our things and headed back towards the city. There, a few platoon of soldiers were picking off Grimm that tried to get into the heart of the city. We headed towards Ruby to make sure that they didn't reach her. I screamed her name and started t swing my sword. At that moment, it lit up and I launched a huge icicle right at the building, freezing the beasts where they were. It happened again. I didn't know how I did, but I did anyway.

"Ruby, get down from there!"

"Why? I have to cover everyone else."

"It's not worth it. Our defense has already been broken. We have to fall back and defend the library." Without another word, Ruby jumped from her spot and slid down using the icicle I somehow provided for her.

"How'd you do that? It was really helpful."

"Don't ask me. I'm still working out the kinks."

"Alright, enough chit-chat, you two. We gotta hold these things off." Once Ruby was secured, we headed to the area right outside of the library and started to create a wall of defense. Ruby handled the distant enemies while the others of us got rid of the others that made it that far. As time went on, the number of soldiers retreating back to us increased which made it easier for us to hold our position.

Unfortunately, the initial number was much lower. It was obvious that we lost a lot soldiers in the fight, but we couldn't dwell on it. The only thing we could do was fight and fight until the very end.

The fight went on and on and it didn't even seem like we were punching a hole in their numbers. When we seemed to catch a break, more would sprout out from nowhere and continue to attack us. From the way things were looking, we knew that it wasn't going to end happily. Yet, we were persistent. We weren't going to give up unless if we had to. Everyone else was fighting for their lives and we had a responsibility to do the same.

After some time, their attacks finally stopped which gave us some time to breath. At that moment, everyone plopped onto the floor completely exhausted. Even Blake and Yang were tired which was quite the shock. As for me and Ruby, we still had energy left since we haven't really done a lot compared to the others. I asked if she was alright and she nodded with a smile. I then walked over to Blake and Yang to check on them.

"Hey, how are you guys holding up?"

"Ugh! That's impossible to answer. Things aren't looking good at all. We're all wiped out. I don't know how long we can hold out for." I looked at everyone else and it looked like they just went through hell and back. It was horrible sight to see. There was so much that I was feeling at that moment, but I just couldn't describe any of them. I stuck out my hand to her and smiled.

"You can still fight. We need you. Everyone needs you." Yang smiled back and took my hand.

"Of course. I'm not out of it." Blake rose to her feet and patted me on the shoulder.

"None of us are out. Not yet."

Out of nowhere, we heard a slight rumble in the ground which caused the commander of the army to call everyone to attention. Everyone looked around, but saw nothing. The rumbling went on for a few mores seconds until it finally stopped. We all looked at each other in confusion, but no one was able to figure out what it was. Then, the worst thing happened. Just outside of the city where the lines of defense were stationed, huge beasts emerged from the ground. We eventually confirmed that they were large snakes and scorpions.

"Enemies inbound! Break time's over soldiers!" We couldn't believe our eyes. Those beasts were huge, unlike anything we've ever seen before. Monsters of that sort actually existed? It almost felt like a dream.

Right after the commander's announcement, an alarm blared through the entire city. Why was that being sounded? Wouldn't that attract their attention towards us? We looked around and in confusion when we saw all of the soldiers drop their guns and pull out a small knife. At the butt of the knife was a small blue orb-looking thing. Other than, it looked like an average knife. What were they doing? Suddenly, a hand was placed on my shoulder as I turned to see Jaune. He was all bloody and completely exhausted.

"Jaune, oh my God, are you okay? What's happening?"

"That's… the signal. You guys need to get out of here."

"Signal? What are you talking about?" Jaune took some more steps forward and stared down the new enemy. Once again, another hand was placed on my shoulder as we saw Pyrrha in a similar state as Jaune.

"It was an honor meeting such wonderful people like yourselves." Our eyes popped open. Why were they talking like this? Then, Jaune ran towards the enemy with only his knife and jumped right on top of it, stabbing it right on the head. The beast immediately shrieked in pain. The last thing we remember seeing was Jaune's smile before he and the beast dissipated into thin air.

What the hell is going on?

End of Chapter 9


	26. Vol 2 Chapter 10

A Ripple in Time

Chapter 10

The Final Move

**Note: **Well, this is the finale so I hope you enjoy. Also, I'm still looking for an editor willing to handle my RWBY stories so if you're interested please feel free to PM me and I'll see what I could do. Other than that, enjoy and thank you so much for reading.

Everyone's weapons started to drop to the ground as they all pulled out that same knife that Jaune used. We looked around and saw that everyone had one except for us. What the hell was going on? At that moment, everyone shouted at the top of their lungs and started to charge the enemy. We tried stopping them, but it was no use. It looked as if this was the final assault on the enemy. What could we do? We just watched as all of the men and women threw themselves against the enemy and gave their lives in the process. It was unreal, almost like a dream. How could this be happening?

At that moment, a siren blasted through the streets which caused us to look to the skies. When we did, something shot out of the top of the library. It appeared to be small, but the object was sent flying away from the city, a few miles away. We were so confused, but we had to keep on fighting. Of course, there were so Grimm that made it passed the others, but Blake and Yang managed to cut them down before they could get to us.

"Come on you two, we need to keep fighting." Ruby brought out her gun and took aim at everything that came running right for us. Unfortunately, I couldn't find the motivation to fight. There was something in my head that told me not to.

"Weiss, come on. We need your help." Ruby called my name, but I wasn't able to respond. I was too busy thinking about something important, something that could help us out in this dire situation.

"We gotta hold them! Keep fighting!" I slowly looked around and saw everyone else with such sad looks on their faces. Ruby, Blake, and Yang were doing so much even though the outcome was inevitable. The others who were giving up their lives had no expressions on their faces. It was almost as if they were brainwashed into doing this. How could that happen? It just wasn't right. Was Ozpin's plan to abandon all hope right from the start? And that's when it hit me. Ozpin did say something to us before this all started.

"We're all losing that drive and we need someone to take over that burden. I now know that that has to be you four. Return this world to us." My eyes shot wide open as the blaring of the siren continued to stab at my ears.

"We can't stay here!" Everyone turned their heads in confusion.

"Weiss, what are you talking about? We can't leave. We have to protect the building."

"No, it's already too late. Don't you remember what Ozpin told us?!" She was simply asking a leading question since no one did. Too much was going on for them to remember something as small as that.

"Seriously Weiss, we need to hold these things off. Stop fooling around." I swung my fists into my leg and shut my eyes as tight as I could.

"I'm not fooling around! We need to leave now! Why else do you think that siren is going off?! Ozpin's dropping the bomb and we need to get out of here!" That's when everyone's eyes were as big as the moon. They finally remembered his request. They had to survive.

"Alright, we'll follow on this. Where should we go?"

"I think we should follow whatever was shot out of the city. It may be a message for us or something." They were a little hesitant, but knew that this was the only way to get away safely. They grabbed everything they had and quickly made their way out of the city. By that time, the Grimm were no longer focused on us. All of them were heading towards the library. We looked back one last time to see the entire building completely surrounded by black beasts.

Boom! Out of nowhere, a loud noise was sent in all directions. As we focused our attention, we saw that something was launched into the air. It was the bomb. We didn't have a lot of time left. We turned back around and continued to run as fast as we could. We didn't remember the fine details of that bomb, but we knew we had to get clear of the blast radius.

As we continued to run, something strange started happening. I started to feel as if all of my strength as being drained from my body. I couldn't keep it going for much longer. Collapsed onto the ground, barely able to keep my eyes open. Luckily, Ruby saw me collapse and ran to me.

"Weiss, are you okay? What happened?" It was too hard to reply to her question. I could only hear their voices at this point. I didn't know it at the time, but Blake and Yang also collapsed on the ground. "What? What's happening?"

"It's… It's probably the Grimm. They're swarming to the point where we can barely counter their energy."

"Then… we need to get as far as we can." Blake and yang grabbed each other and brought each other back onto their feet. At the same time, Ruby hoisted my arm over her shoulder and carried me away.

"It's alright Weiss. We're going to be alright."

"Uuuuu." I couldn't muster up any words. For some reason, I was affected way more than the others, and the more confusing thing was that Ruby wasn't affected. But then again, I didn't really have the luxury of thinking about things like that. I was being a burden on Ruby and we were slowed down because of it.

We moved as fast as we could, but it wasn't enough. Eventually, Ruby collapsed onto her knees and started to feel the same as me and the other two. We turned our heads and saw the bomb was on its descend right on top of the city. We didn't know if we were far enough, but there was nothing else we could do. We held each other as tight as we could and braced for impact.

A few seconds later, a bright light emerged from the town which caused us to cover our eyes. It was the end no matter how you looked at it. We could feel the power of the bomb from where we were, but luckily, it didn't reach so we were definitely safe for the time being. The intensity of the blow was ridiculous. We were able to feel the heat the energy of the Grimm turn to thin air. Whatever they were working on, it definitely worked because when we opened our eyes, the whole thing was a dead, flatland. It worked, but at such a high cost. At that moment, we suddenly felt reenergized and returned to our feet. It was such a horrible sight that we couldn't even speak. We just continued to search for that thing that was launched away from the city.

It took some time, but eventually found what we were looking for. It was a small canister. We picked it up off the ground and opened it up to find a message inside. There was nothing else.

"That's it? All that's in there is a message." I don't know why I was so frustrated with this discovery. Yang unfolded the message and read it out loud.

_If you're reading this, you will finally learn the truth of this war. We always talk about how we'll bring things back to normal. Our streets and families will be safe and there'll be no need for an army, but we were wrong. None of this is going to stop. I've hid this information from a lot of people because I deemed it too much for sensitive ears. With that in mind, here's the truth. The Grimm are a byproduct of our own doing. Our own negative energy have grown over the years and have managed to form something horrible. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. Ever since Sky Fall, people have fallen victim to disaster which lead to negative energy which lead to the creation of Grimm. Once they are created, they seek out human life until there is nothing left to feed off of. So, as long as we are on this planet, our enemy will remain as well. The idea of eliminating our negative energy is just impossible. It's a fact of life that humans contain that kind of energy so there's no easy way of saying it. We now share this world with those beasts and the only thing we can do is believe that the dawn is coming. Live strong and live on._

_-Ozpin_

The End


End file.
